Over the stigma and thru the woods

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Reader Staff

In the four years since her son, Ethan, was shot and killed by a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy, Sandpoint woman Justine Murray has not quit moving — both figuratively and literally.

In the figurative sense, Murray has been vocal since her son’s death about the lack of services available to people struggling with mental illness, largely thanks to stigma surrounding the topic. 

As the mother of a child who experienced schizophrenia, addiction and homelessness, Murray has used her voice to create movement in the realm of philanthropy by starting up the Ethan Murray Fund, which aims to “empower and support individuals in need by providing financial assistance for mental health services in our local community.”

Justine Murray and Matt Connery in their happy place. Courtesy photo.

In the literal sense, Murray has been breaking trail, crossing creeks and climbing over blowdowns — navigating mountains to feel closer to Ethan, and to raise money for the fund meant to honor him.

This summer, Murray and her partner, Matt Connery, will thru-hike the Pacific Northwest Trail — 1,200 miles from the Chief Mountain Border Crossing in Glacier National Park to Washington’s Cape Alava — to raise money for EMF.

The pair is set to begin their trek on Tuesday, June 20 and return in 70-80 days. Rather than starting at either end of the trail, Murray and Connery will tackle the PNT with what’s called the “flip-flop” method of thru-hiking: they will begin in Oroville, Wash., hike east to Glacier National Park and, once finished with the eastern portion of the trail, return to Oroville and head west toward the Cascades.

Flip-flopping will help give them the best chance at favorable conditions related to snow, runoff and fire season, Connery said.

“We’re just splitting it in half,” he said. “It’s like we’re starting twice.”

In comparison to the Idaho Centennial Trail, which Murray and Connery thru-hiked to raise funds in 2021, they said the Pacific Northwest Trail is slightly more established.

“But don’t let that fool you — it’s not like the Appalachian or Pacific Crest [trails],” Murray said. “People who do this, who are used to those thru-hikes … to them, this can be a beast.”

As for the hardest part of that “beast” of a hike, Murray and Connery said they had a good laugh when their research revealed warnings of a particular part of the trail notorious for difficult navigation: the Selkirk Range.

“No joke,” Murray said. “You have to bushwhack. You have to get all the way from the Priest Lake side — Lionhead — all the way to Pyramid and Ball [lakes]. It’s taken people 12-plus hours to do six miles.”

From left to right: Dawn Mehra of NAMI Far North, Justine Murray of the Ethan Murray Fund and Tammie Harder of the Bonner Community Food Bank show off some of the backpack kits now available to food bank patrons. Courtesy photos.

Luckily, the pair has plenty of practice in North Idaho’s harrowing hills — as well as their prior experience thru-hiking the ICT — to serve them well as they traverse the PNT. The hike is also a second chance for supporters who want to be part of a unique fundraising endeavor, as there are options to make a flat donation or donate by the mile to help the Ethan Murray Fund further its goals to make mental health resources more available for locals in need.

As for contributions, Murray said “anything counts” — from $5 to sharing the nonprofit’s social media links.

“There is something for everyone,” she said. “If [people] feel compelled to volunteer or share something with us or spread the word — we are happy with anything.”

Recent EMF efforts have gone toward funding counseling opportunities for people who fall through gaps in the health care system; exploring the possibility of a future scholarship program for graduating students; and working with fellow nonprofit NAMI Far North to put together and donate backpack kits to the food bank to help clients experiencing homelessness.

“That is ultimately our goal,” Murray said of working with NAMI and other groups who have similar goals. “We all need to partner together to get the important work done.”

To donate, learn more and follow along as Justine Murray and Matt Connery embark on their Pacific Northwest Trail adventure, go to ethanmurrayfund.org or visit Murray’s business, La Chic Boutique, at 107 Main St., in downtown Sandpoint. Also see updates on the nonprofit’s Instagram: @ethanmurrayfund.