Supporting Shalu

With a heavy heart, I am reaching out for community support for my dear friend, Shalu Mehta, after the loss of her partner, Jake Reid Giles. On November 30, Jake passed away at their home in Langford, B.C. Impossibly, that day a moving truck was coming to bring the belongings of Shalu and Jake to their new home.

Shalu loved Jake with her whole heart. There are no words to express the enormity of this loss. I am asking for community aid to support Jake’s family with the cost of the funeral, and to support Shalu in moving forward in her new place without having to worry about rent and cost of living on her own.

Shalu is a journalist with The Discourse, sharing important stories that impact people’s lives on Vancouver Island. Recently, Shalu and I had the honour of receiving a Jack Webster Award after covering a story about Carsyn MacKenzie Seaweed, a 15-year old Indigenous child who was found dead behind the Super 8 Motel in Duncan, BC. As an Indigenous mother, I was in awe of Shalu’s kindness and support during the reporting process, from beginning to end. We have remained close ever since. It was apparent during this time how much love Shalu has for Jake, as we shared stories about our lives while collaborating on this story.

Shalu is a warrior for Jake, and she protected him fiercely. She supported him as he struggled with addiction. Jake died from accessing an unregulated drug supply, and Shalu and his family wish to share this with the hopes that it may help prevent similar deaths in the future. As a community, we need to step up for Shalu.