JessicaLeePetrukawasbornDecember31,1990at8:45P.M.intheReginaPasquaHospitaltoPatriciaandGordonPetrukaofItuna,Saskatchewan.ShewasababysisterforbrotherChrisandsistersAndreaandStacey.ShewasahappybabywhosuddenlytookillonJanuary10,1991withwhatwaslaterdiagnosedasCongenitalHeartDisease.Herhearthadnottotallyfinishedgrowingandneededsomereconstructionwhichwasdoneinthreestages;atage13days,secondatage11monthsandfinalprocedureatage21/2yearsatSickChildren’sHospitalinToronto,Ontario.Shehadaveryslimchanceofsurvivingherfirstsurgery,anditwasabattlethatnoneofuswilleverforget.Shewasafighter!Shenotonlysurvived,shegrewuptobeaverystrongandindependentyoungwoman.Wedidtrytopamperandprotectherthroughoutherlife,butwesoonrealizedthatshewasrunningtheshowandwouldkeyusinwhensheneededprotection.
  Attheyoungageof4years,sheinformedusthatshewastoooldtoattendanotheryearofplayschoolwiththeother“littlekids”andthatshewantedtogototherealschool.Sinceherbirthdayfellattheendoftheyear,shewasentitledtodosoandshedid!Shecontinuedtoenjoyschoolrighttoherfinalday.Shelovedpeopleandknowledgeandabsorbedinwhatevershedid.
  Jessicarefusedtobestoppedbyanyhurdle,sheovercamethemall.Theimpossibleonesjusttookheralittlelonger.Shelovedtobearoundhersiblingsonthefarmhavingahandineverythingtheywoulddo,fromanimalchorestocombining,itdidn’tmatter,sheloveditall,andwealllovedtobearoundher.Shecontinuedthroughlife,jumpingatthechancetodonewthings,butmostofallshelovedbeingamemberofthe1stItunaScouts.Whetherourgroupwaslargeorsmall,itdidn’tmattertoher;ifitwassmallsheeagerlymetnewfriendsfromeverywhere.Shelovedcamping,canoeing,thehorsebackingridingcampweattendedintheB.C.mountains,ourfishingtriptonorthernSaskatchewanthispastsummer,butmostofallshelovedCampanoeChallenge,heldyearlyatGoodSpiritLake.Shelivedforthisevent!Shemadefriendsfromalloverandaftercompletingthe3YearProgram,shebecameaChallengeLeaderandlovedtoworkwiththeyoungeryouththereandattheCubCampinMooseJaw.Shecherishedallherscoutingfriendswithalovesodeepitcouldnotbemeasured.
  Jessicalovedschoolandhadaverystrongneedforknowledge.Herdesiretointeractwithpeoplethroughdebatedanddiscussionsmadehermindgrowtoenormousdepth.HerfavoritedebatingpartnerwasKenMushka,herGrade12Englishteacher.Shelovedthethoughtofadeepdebatewithhim,andthatprobablyexplainedherstrongdesiretoattenduniversityaftergraduationtobecomeahighschoolEnglishteacher.Shealsolovedschoolactivitiesthatbroughtpeopletogetherlikeschooldances,andbeingastrongadv…