In the autumn of 1956, a profound sense of loss befell a family and community that would endure for decades. On October 5th of that year, 12-year-old Charles Ombash and his older brother, Tom, disappeared from the grounds of the Pelican Falls Residential School near Sioux Lookout, Ontario. The two boys, who were just children, had made the decision to leave the school with the hope of returning to their home in Cat Lake. Their family would not see or hear from them again. It is believed the brothers planned to either canoe the entire distance to Cat Lake or take a train to Savant Lake, hitchhike to Pickle Lake, and then complete the final leg of their journey by canoe. More than a month would pass before the principal of the residential school officially reported Charles and his brother missing on November 10, 1956.
The silence that followed the boys' departure was a heavy burden for the Ombash family. For years, their fate remained an agonizing mystery.
The two brothers were among fifteen students who were confirmed to have disappeared from the Pelican Falls Residential School. The passage of time did little to erase the pain and uncertainty, and the story of the missing Ombash brothers became a somber local narrative. The lack of answers was a stark reminder of the vulnerability of the children who attended the residential school system.
Decades later, a significant development brought a measure of closure to the long-standing mystery. In 2015, human remains were discovered near the Pelican Falls First Nation High School. A traditional medicine man and spiritual leader, Allan Oombash, identified the remains as those of Charles and Thomas Ombash. Following this identification, the boys' remains were brought home to Cat Lake for a proper burial, finally allowing their family to lay them to rest. While this brought a degree of peace to the family, the case of the Ombash brothers serves as a poignant illustration of the tragedies that occurred within the residential school system and the enduring quest for answers and healing for the families of the many children who never returned home.Last Seen: Oct 5, 1956
