It been 22 years since Lisa Marie Young went missing after a night out with friends – a longer period than the young woman had been living when she was last seen.
Lisa Young went missing June 30, 2002, following a night out with friends.
Though family and friends have over the decades continued searching and working to keep Lisa in the public eye, they’ve accepted that sad fact that she is no longer living. They are now looking for information that will allow them to bring her home to her family.
On a stormy Oct. 18 morning, guests were invited to a tree dedication ceremony at the north end of Nanaimo’s Departure Bay waterfront walkway in memory of Lisa and all MMIWG2S+.
According to the City of Nanaimo, the dedication is supported by the City of Nanaimo’s Tree Donation Program, which began in the spring of 2024. They state that city staff worked closely with Lisa Marie Young’s family, friends, and supporters for the special dedication of a tree.
“The loss of this talented young person is deeply felt by her family, her friends, and her entire community,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog. “It is our hope that the dedication of this tree at Departure Bay will provide comfort to everyone that loves and misses Lisa. We hope, too, that this tree will be meaningful for the families, friends and loved ones of all other missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.”
Mayor Krog told Don Young that he and his late wife Joanne raised a good daughter, but, he said, it’s important to also raise good sons.
“Stop the gender violence,” he told the crowd.
Krog said it is our duty as citizens to step in to stop the violence. But it also the duty of leaders to stand against violence. He thanked other leaders for attending the event including MP Lisa Marie Barron, MLA Sheila Malcomson and the Nanaimo councillors that attended the ceremony.
Moses Martin, Lisa’s grandfather, said a prayer in his Tla-o-qui-aht language before thanking Mayor Krog and Cindy Hall for tirelessly helping his family in their search for Lisa.
“I want to express my family’s gratitude for your ongoing support. It’s uplifting for myself and my family that you’re always there for us,” he told the crowd.
Lisa’s mother Joanne Young has passed away in the years since her only daughter went missing. Her sister Carol Frank has taken on the role of being the voice of Lisa and the family. Standing with her mother, Cecelia Arnet, Carol thanked the people for being by their side for the past 22 years.
She recalled the efforts her late sister Joanne made to find her daughter, and the pain she suffered, never having answers.
“It broke her heart. It changed her and she got sick. She did everything she could to find her,” said Carol.
Nanaimo Parks, Recreation and Culture arranged to have the cherry tree planted at the beautiful waterfront Departure Bay walkway in Nanaimo.
Don Young, Lisa’s father, liked the site. He told the crowd that his family, at one point, lived nearby.
“We’d bring the three kids down to the park all the time…there were a lot of picnics and stuff…lots of memories,” he shared.
Thanking the media for attending the event during a wind and rainstorm, Carol Frank vowed to continue the search for her niece.
“We’ll never stop until we get answers,” she promised.
The ceremony ended with a solemn reading of names of missing women followed by a moment of silence. Members of Lisa’s family assisted in planting the cherry tree.
