About
Updated February 1st, 2012: Media, please understand that the family is not responding to media requests at this time.
If anyone wishes to send a private message to Dustin, please use the contact form
Dustin has been working really hard at healing – to see/read updates, please look at our News section
Dustin LaFortune, who was initially reported missing, was held hostage, tortured, starved, repeatedly assaulted and mutilated. The person (?) who did this to Dustin (click here for trial updates), dropped his broken, clinging-to-life body off at the Regina hospital on the morning of April 16th, 2010… and wasn’t expected to live.
Dustin, however, had other plans.
After pulling through the first critical few days, Dustin was in ICU on full life support then transferred to an isolated neurosciences critical care unit where he remained for months. When he was dropped off, Dustin weighed about 45kg (87 pounds) and needed to be tube fed. There were multiple fractures to his face and body, evidence of new and old wounds in various states of healing, burn marks, old stab wounds, infections etc… Dustin had pneumonia and c-difficile. He slipped in and out of a coma.
His bottom lip and part of his tongue were cut off. Dustin has severe to moderate acquired brain injury (ABI) and will require extensive reconstruction to his face, mouth and ears. He is re-learning to become an independent man and has dreams of being a business owner again.
He is now in Victoria, BC to continue his healing journey; he is now over 200lbs, can now walk with only the help of a cane and has a wonderful smile! This site was set up to keep his thousands of Guardians up-to-date on his progress – thank you, everyone, for all the kind words.
The video below was taken early on in his healing, while still in the critical care unit:
To keep up to date on Dustin’s progress, make sure you sign up for the updates by either filling in the form at the right, subscribing to the RSS feed or following us on Twitter.
Who is Dustin LaFortune?
His mother, Renee, writes:
Dustin LaFortune is an incredible and VERY TALENTED artist. When he was just two years old, Dustin drew a picture of a ‘Canadian Tire Truck’, complete with logo and letters. Dustin’s drawing was perfect in every detail. (No colouring outside the lines for this kid!)
From Canadian Tire to drawings of every make and model of car imaginable,
Dustin progressed to wildlife (eagles were his favourite thanks to the ‘Spirit’ name given to him by Grandpa Francis Cree), his obsession with the Titanic, aliens with ‘exoskeletons’ and not so flattering cartoon caricatures of his brothers!
Dustin’s artistic talent translated well to ice sculptures in the front yard every winter (In Winterpeg or even in Tsaile, Arizona – a place not known for snow LOL!), clay busts, bone carving and even LEGO.
When we lived in Turtle Mountain, North Dakota, Dustin and his brother Rogi, chopped wood, hauled rocks, collected medicine and helped Grandpa Cree prepare the Lodge. Both boys sweat at least twice each week. They drummed, learned and sang traditional songs, went to powwows and served and supported the Sun Dance. Dustin, when not immersed in traditional teachings, like to hang out at the Roundhall with his friends.
Dustin really enjoyed exploring ‘Mineral Springs’. It’s a ‘Sacred’ place located in a farmer’s field which means that its private property and ‘off limits’ to the public – but that didn’t deter Dustin, his brother Rogi – or their friends. Much like ‘Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump’ in Alberta, Mineral Springs is the site of another buffalo jump. Dustin was always ‘getting into trouble’ because of his stubborn determination to ‘repatriate’ every eagle feather and every buffalo skull in the State.
Dustin loved living on the Rez in North Dakota. He was obsessed the tornadoes, the flooding, the storms and the “American COWS” (This will only mean something to family members who know the story!).
His brother, Ryan, writes:
OH God……Aside from the hippie crap my Mom likes to peddle…LOL 
Dustin liked beer, hockey and girls.
Sorry everyone, sorry my Mom disillusioned you. That was the Dustin SHE knew as a kid….;) LOL
THE REAL DUSTIN….. drank Budwieser (against my and my cousin’s wishes that he not drink horse piss!) He liked the Colorado Avalanche hockey team. He watched the show NOVA, because he liked science. He liked girls. I don’t recall him as an adult doing any of the above things… sorry mom, big brother spills the beans. We sat around the TV drinking beer, watching sports, and telling offensive jokes. He did enjoy fishing with Marcel though, you sometimes have to drink beer and tell offensive jokes in an outdoor setting!!!!
I love you Dustin…
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