Jessica’s Story
Jessica Martel was a mother to three beautiful children. She was a singer who loved writing. She was loved by her mother, Lynne, and the rest of her family and friends. On April 29, 2009, she was murdered as she tried to leave her abusive relationship.
Her murder rocked the town of Morinville and Sturgeon County. Jessica’s family and
friends were devastated after losing her. Many community members faced vicarious trauma after seeing their loved ones experience abuse. Children can experience immediate and permanent harm from the trauma, and witnessing abuse is as harmful as experiencing it directly. Jessica wanted to leave her abusive relationship. Her mother Lynne tried to help her leave, but it was hard to find supports in their community. They tried the city but met long wait times. This harsh reality remains true today – many rural communities lack resources for individuals who are experiencing domestic violence. For communities that have shelters, there simply is not enough capacity in shelters to provide safe space to match the need in our community.
Statistics show that the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is when you leave. Eventually, Jessica’s situation got worse. Lynne and Jessica made a plan after doing their own research. However, things took a turn and Jessica lost her life. Her children lost their mother, Lynne lost a daughter, and her family and friends lost a shining light.
Jessica’s story is why we are here – to prevent this from happening again.
“I did not want Jessica’s story to end like this.
She had the right to live a happy life, free of fear.
We shared a dream of one day opening a safe haven for families fleeing family violence and that dream kept coming to me. I shared that vision with others, and they encouraged me to do something about it.
One day, my cousin showed up at my door with a group of women. They wanted to make a difference and wanted to help me realize the dream Jessica and I shared. We established the JMMF in January of 2012 around my kitchen table.”
LYNNE ROSYCHUK, Jessica’s Mother and Founder of
the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation
Our History
From its inception, JMMF has been a grassroots movement driven by a group of passionate community members. The organization was run by an operational board, including the members who founded the organization. The board was very involved in the day-to-day operations, providing education and outreach support and driving fundraising activities to build Jessie’s House.
This grassroots momentum was not limited to the board and volunteers. Morinville, Sturgeon County, and the surrounding area
have provided overwhelming support to this cause. In 2018, JMMF
broke ground for a 35-bed all-gender shelter. Jessie’s House opened its doors in May 2020.
The founders had achieved their goal of providing a safe place to
stay, but there were no signs of slowing down.