Looking back, looking ahead: Zofia Cisowski has died
The Globe and Mail's editorial obituary: 2019-12-07.
I'm normally not particularly an emotional person, I don't have very much empathy. If you call me "heartless", I would not counter you or get upset.
But the recent passing of Zofia Cisowski in Poland affected me. The tragedy that she encountered in Canada was very sad and avoidable if the people involved in killing her son had more compassion and sense.
Most people outside of Canada and Poland probably never heard of Zofia Cisowski or her son Robert Dziekanski (Dziekański in Polski).
Ms. Cisowski was a Polish woman who immigrated to Canada in 1999, settling in British Columbia. As a single mother, she had dreamed of bringing her only child Robert Dziekanski to Canada. Mr. Dziekanski was a handyman in his native Poland and he flew on his own to Vancouver in October 2007 to re-unite with his mother and start a new life in Canada.
His mother Ms. Cisowski waited at the Vancouver airport for his arrival. But hours after the flight had landed, her son was nowhere to be seen. As it turned out, due to his lack of English knowledge and that no one at the airport could understand him, Mr. Dziekanski got confused and wandered inside the airport for 10 hours (he had never travelled on a plane before), not knowing how to get out or contact his mother. Even though his mother made inquiries about his missing son, airport employees dismissed her concerns and suggested that she simply be patient.
When Mr. Dziekaaski became agitated, the police was called. Four Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP, or the "Mounties") promptly showed up, which probably alarmed the 40-year old man more. An altercation ensued and the police officers tasered Mr. Dziekanski five times, then tackled and handcuffed him. Mr. Dziekanski suffered a cardiac arrest. An ambulance was called but it took some 15 minutes to arrive. Mr. Dziekanski died on scene.
Ms. Cisowski and her son were moments from re-uniting and living their lives together, but a chain of events would end one's and forever change the other's.
The RCMP officers were never charged for the action that led to Mr. Dziekanski's death, but two of them were charged and convicted of perjury related to their false testimony at a public inquiry into the case. The RCMP and the Vancouver airport were heavily criticised for their treatment of a confused and tired traveller. Eventually the RCMP admitted fault, issued an official apology, and paid a financial settlement to Ms. Cisowski. The incidence left a sad and shameful mark on the Canadian identity. We can all learn a lesson and be more kind to someone who seems confused, tired, distressed and in need of help.
Looking back, looking ahead: Zofia Cisowski has died
The Globe and Mail's editorial obituary: 2019-12-07.
I'm normally not particularly an emotional person, I don't have very much empathy. If you call me "heartless", I would not counter you or get upset.
But the recent passing of Zofia Cisowski in Poland affected me. The tragedy that she encountered in Canada was very sad and avoidable if the people involved in killing her son had more compassion and sense.
Most people outside of Canada and Poland probably never heard of Zofia Cisowski or her son Robert Dziekanski (Dziekański in Polski).
Ms. Cisowski was a Polish woman who immigrated to Canada in 1999, settling in British Columbia. As a single mother, she had dreamed of bringing her only child Robert Dziekanski to Canada. Mr. Dziekanski was a handyman in his native Poland and he flew on his own to Vancouver in October 2007 to re-unite with his mother and start a new life in Canada.
His mother Ms. Cisowski waited at the Vancouver airport for his arrival. But hours after the flight had landed, her son was nowhere to be seen. As it turned out, due to his lack of English knowledge and that no one at the airport could understand him, Mr. Dziekanski got confused and wandered inside the airport for 10 hours (he had never travelled on a plane before), not knowing how to get out or contact his mother. Even though his mother made inquiries about his missing son, airport employees dismissed her concerns and suggested that she simply be patient.
When Mr. Dziekaaski became agitated, the police was called. Four Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP, or the "Mounties") promptly showed up, which probably alarmed the 40-year old man more. An altercation ensued and the police officers tasered Mr. Dziekanski five times, then tackled and handcuffed him. Mr. Dziekanski suffered a cardiac arrest. An ambulance was called but it took some 15 minutes to arrive. Mr. Dziekanski died on scene.
Ms. Cisowski and her son were moments from re-uniting and living their lives together, but a chain of events would end one's and forever change the other's.
The RCMP officers were never charged for the action that led to Mr. Dziekanski's death, but two of them were charged and convicted of perjury related to their false testimony at a public inquiry into the case. The RCMP and the Vancouver airport were heavily criticised for their treatment of a confused and tired traveller. Eventually the RCMP admitted fault, issued an official apology, and paid a financial settlement to Ms. Cisowski. The incidence left a sad and shameful mark on the Canadian identity. We can all learn a lesson and be more kind to someone who seems confused, tired, distressed and in need of help.