A unilingual Sahtu Dene Elder is the first resident of the Northwest Territories to die from COVID-19.
Gabe Kochon was medevaced from Fort Good Hope to Yellowknife last week. He died Monday night around 10:45. He was 92.
Kochon was the father of Leitha Kochon, the host of Leghots'edeh, CBC's North Slavey-language news and current affairs radio show, who confirmed the details of his death.
Gabe Kochon had been living with his other daughter, Rose, since his wife died last May. A little less than a year earlier, in July 2020, the couple had celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows.
At the time, McNeely said her father was still very active at 91 years old.