Kid walks 500 miles to Montreal to find ma...
Back in the day, confused kids walking massive distances was big news. The small-sized Idola Fillion who measured under 5 feet made it all the way from Lac St. Jean to Montreal, apparently 500 miles (it's only 300 miles, but apparently he took the long route) to find his mom. He hopped a lot of trains and begged a lot of meals before getting to the newspaper office where he plead to readers to help him find his mom, who - like his father - took off on him and his 4 siblings.
Back in the day, confused kids walking massive distances was big news. The small-sized Idola Fillion who measured under 5 feet made it all the way from Lac St. Jean to Montreal, apparently 500 miles (it's only 300 miles, but apparently he took the long route) to find his mom. He hopped a lot of trains and begged a lot of meals before getting to the newspaper office where he plead to readers to help him find his mom, who - like his father - took off on him and his 4 siblings.
This is a heartbreaker of a story.
ReplyDeleteMr. Peabody
But that sort of thing doesn't seem uncommon during
ReplyDeletethe depression. I can only think of fictional examples,
but I assume they were based on reality. Families just
breaking up because it was easier than keeping the family
together. And whether it was the depression or because
it was the 1930's, the impression seemed to be that people
would often lose track of their families. One going one
way, another going the other way, and neither knowing
where they'd be, and the neighbors and relatives are
gone too so there's no place to write to the other in
care of someone.
Nowadays, it's hard to imagine, because communication
has become such a big part of modern life.
It's not unlike that recent story of the woman who's
son had disappeared decades ago, and she never moved
from the time of the disappearance to the time of her
death. She was afraid that if she moved, her son
would never be able to find her. That would be worse
than him never returning home, the idea that maybe
he did find his way home and she wasn't there.
Michael
That's sad.
ReplyDeleteEver read the Claire Lamarche "Retrouvailles" page on TVA? It's amazing how kids were given up because parents couldn't afford them well into the 70s. There are loads of "Looking for my son, couldn't afford 3 kids, had to give one up, he was the one, sent to Creche so-and-so in 1979".
It had nothing to do with the Depression. Now, when parents are fed up with their children they drop them off at Social Services. Or leave them on the street. Or the kids resort to crime to get out of their situation, or because it's a learned habit, and end up in juvenile detention.
ReplyDeleteObviously this was a particularly unusual story or the paper wouldn't have printed it. It wasn't typical behaviour during the Depression and it is just as common today as it ever was.
On the right, it looks like Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever.
ReplyDelete