Content warning: This story contains mentions of missing and murdered Indigenous people, as well as suicide and rape. If you or someone you know is in need of help, reach out to law enforcement, or you can call, text or chat with the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 844-762-8483. Washington Natives in need of support can use the . The national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is 988.
The day before the memorial service and receipt of her sister’s remains, Valerie Jean Nagle left her room at a Portland motel and smudged her minivan with cedar and sweetgrass. She then noticed two eagles soaring high overhead. The birds circled the lot twice before continuing eastward.
Nagle said that gave her a message to reflect on and decipher, but she told Underscore Native News that she had her own message to share with the spirit of her sister, Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter…