Candidates honor the lives of three children coming home to the Aaniiih Nation
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MISSOULA, Mont. — Former firearms executive and candidate for Governor Ryan Busse released the following statement in commemoration of the long-awaited homecoming of three Aaniiihen children who were buried at the Carlisle Boarding School in Pennsylvania more than a century ago:
Sara, Raph, Marisa and I stand with the Aaniiih and Nakoda Nations in honoring the lives and homecomings of these three children. History may never fully account for the horrors and injustices Almeda, Bishop and John faced, but it is our responsibility to make sure the world knows, understands and never forgets what happened to them and to countless other Indigenous People, including innocent children, across this country for centuries. We celebrate their lives and we welcome these three souls back to their spiritual homeland.
The remains of Almeda Heavyhair, 16, Bishop Shield, 17, and John Bull, 15, are due to arrive home to the Aaniiih Nation for a wake in Hays, Montana, this evening.
QUICK FACTS:
- Pronunciation: Ryan BUSS’-ee
- Home: Kalispell, Mont.
- Office Sought: Governor of Montana
- Affiliation: Democrat
- Website: busseformontana.com
- X (Twitter): @ryandbusse
- DOB: 2/23/70 (53)
- Occupation: Writer, Consultant, Firearms Expert and Former Executive (Vice President of Sales, Kimber America: 1995-2020)
- Family: Married to Sara for 24 years; two sons: Lander (18) and Badge (15)
- Alma Mater: Bethany College (Kansas)
- Chevy Odometer: 280,000 miles
- Hunting Dogs: Aldo and Teddy
- Bio: Ryan Busse is an author and former firearms executive who helped build the gun company Kimber from Kalispell between 1995 and 2020. Over his 25-year career Busse directed the sales of nearly three million Kimber firearms. His memoir, Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry that Radicalized America, was published by PublicAffairs (Hachette) in 2021. Busse was born near the Kansas cattle ranch homesteaded by his great-grandfather. He is an avid hunter, angler and champion of public lands, and has held leadership positions with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Montana Conservation Voters. Busse and his wife Sara live in Kalispell and have two teenage sons.