March 26 concert at Sessions to honour Winterstein ahead of inquest

Music and prayer will open a memorial gathering March 26 at Sessions on the River to honour Heather Winterstein, a 24-year-old Indigenous woman whose death in a St. Catharines hospital waiting room in December 2021 will be examined at a coroner’s inquest.

Family members and Niagara musicians will host the free public event in Fort Erie four days before the inquest, which will review the circumstances surrounding Winterstein’s attempts to obtain emergency medical care over two days before she died.

Jill Lunn, Winterstein’s aunt and one of the event organizers, told Fort Erie Radio the gathering is meant to bring the community together before the legal process begins.

“This could be a very unpleasant process, and we want to start things in a good way,” said Lunn. “That’s Indigenous culture, one of our views, and it’s so important for us to get together collectively and purposefully.”

The memorial service and concert come as the community prepares for a formal investigation that could produce recommendations for changes to health care systems affecting Indigenous patients and people facing addiction or homelessness.

The case has drawn attention across Canada since Winterstein died after waiting for treatment at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.

Winterstein first went to the hospital December 9, 2021 with severe back pain and was discharged. She returned the following day and waited about two and a half hours before collapsing in the waiting area.

A later review found she had abnormal vital signs during her first visit but left the hospital without a full medical assessment. Her cause of death was later identified as a Strep A blood infection.

“The presumption, when it comes to having an inquest, is that the death is preventable. The question becomes, how do we prevent them?” said Lunn.

A discretionary inquest ordered by the Office of the Chief Coroner will bring together multiple parties including Winterstein’s family, Niagara Regional Police, Niagara EMS, Niagara Health, coroner’s investigators and Indigenous advocacy organizations.

The five-member jury will hear evidence and produce recommendations intended to prevent similar deaths.

“Rather than walking into this as an adversarial situation, we want to understand what happened to her,” said Lunn.

The memorial gathering in Fort Erie will begin with a non-denominational service at 6 p.m. led by Reverend Karen Orlandi of Silver Spire Church. A concert featuring Niagara musicians will follow from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Performers scheduled to take part include Spencer Mackenzie, Gravely James, Ryan Lunn, Aaron Berger, Laurel and Hulley and CD Onofrio.

A third party review commissioned after the death examined hospital records and security footage. The report concluded that Winterstein had abnormal vital signs during her first visit and was discharged without a full assessment.

The panel also reviewed video from the waiting area during her second visit. Security staff, housekeeping workers and another patient attempted to assist her while she waited for treatment before she collapsed.

The review found that unconscious bias may have influenced the care she received because staff believed she faced addiction and homelessness.

Niagara Health later accepted all recommendations from the review. The hospital network introduced mandatory cultural safety training, opened an Indigenous space at the St. Catharines hospital and established an Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation team.

Winterstein’s family has continued to advocate for the inquest in the years since her death. The process has carried a heavy personal toll, according to Lunn, who helped raise her niece.

“Heather had three mothers. She had her biological mother, she had me because I lived downstairs from her for her whole young life and helped raise her, and she had a stepmother who loves her,” Lunn said.

Family members will attend the memorial to recognize Winterstein as a person and prepare emotionally for the proceedings that will follow.

“It certainly would have been easier and better for everyone to just have a funeral, mourn her and be done,” said Lunn. “But our belief as her family, and as Indigenous people, is that things happen for a reason, and that gives us a duty and responsibility to learn from the lesson her death teaches us and carry that forward.”

Lunn described the case as part of a wider crisis affecting health care across Niagara.

“We are in a state of emergency with regards to mental health and addictions care and treatment of our citizens, and that’s the part of this case that matters for the broader community.”

Local musicians began confirming their participation soon after organizers reached out. Many, such as Spencer Mackenzie, have personal ties to the family and the Niagara arts community.

“They were honoured to be asked. That blew me away. Spencer said yes before he even knew exactly what it was,” said Lunn.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the March 26 gathering at Sessions on the River. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

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