Dan Jenkins grieves for his daughter and son-in-law but also for their kindly neighbour who likely lost his life trying to save them.
“Tom Bagley, what a lovely man he was, he was such a good friend to them,” said Jenkins in a quiet, faltering voice. “Tom was out for his morning walk and he probably saw the fire and he was just trying to help. That lovely man, he was so considerate and thoughtful.”
“It’s just the grief. It’s so hard and I’m not getting answers.”
By early Monday afternoon, Jenkins did not know if RCMP investigators found his daughter Alanna Jenkins’ body or her partner Sean McLeod in the burnt remains of their Wentworth home on Hunter Road.
The adoring couple and their neighbour were among at least 19 people killed in Nova Scotia by a 51-year-old gunman. The victims of the 12-hour rampage include an RCMP officer, nurses and a teacher. Jenkins, 36, and McLeod, 41, were correctional officers. They had a perfect relationship and loved each other so much, said Jenkins.
Jenkins and his wife Susan were waiting on a call from an RCMP investigator Monday evening. They were hoping for a small measure of closure, that the couple's bodies would be found.
"There was no rhyme or reason to this,” said Jenkins. “The public wants to know what happened. I know that I don’t have my daughter and my son-in-law. I know they’re somewhere but nobody’s telling me where they are.”
Well-loved
On Saturday evening, the night before his daughter died, he had an upbeat conversation with Alanna. The next day he and his wife drove from their New Glasgow home intending to visit the pair. But they were held up at a roadblock.
“They wouldn’t let us through but we knew then that it wasn’t good,” said Jenkins.
“I guess the only thing I really want people to know about Alanna and Sean is how well-loved they were. They had their family of corrections officers. The family from their home towns. They were so appreciated and loved. That’s all I can say, they were wonderful people.”
“She was my yin and I was her yang, said Jenkins. Our whole family is very close.”
Jenkins is struggling to understand why they were among the gunman’s victims. They knew of the 51-year-old man but they were not friends.
"Alanna never mentioned them ever being concerned about him. My daughter was very open. If there was anything wrong I would have known about it."
What he knows now is that the gunman started his rampage in Portapique late Saturday evening and likely arrived at his daughter's place sometime before 6:30 a.m Sunday. Their home was set on fire between 7 and 8 a.m. What happened in between is a mystery.
Grateful for support
Even in his suffering, Jenkins remains sympathetic to the job ahead of the RCMP investigating 16 crime scenes.
"They’re busy. I’m not faulting them at all. As a parent and as a hurting parent, I just want answers quicker than they can give them. I know they have to go through a process. I’m appreciative of that but I’m also a father that is hurting so badly over it."
Through tears Jenkins said he's grateful for the outpouring of support from family, friends, community members as well as from Canadians all over.
“We have so many friends that we’re fortunate for. Our phone doesn’t stop ringing, we’ve gotten so many emails and so on."
On Monday he sat glued to his TV watching news updates of the tragedy. The footage showed an excavator flatten the remains of his daughter’s home. Jenkins' son is returning home from Calgary to be with the family.
His presence will offer some comfort as they deal with an inconceivable tragedy.
“It’s hard to take when you’re not prepared for it. We will never really know the true reason why he would have picked Alanna and Sean."
