The Heartbreaking Search for a Mother: Seeking Closure for Nathalie Lavallée

There is a specific kind of pain that comes with an unsolved disappearance. For Geneviève and Marie-Danielle Jacques, that pain has lasted nearly a year. Their mother, Nathalie Lavallée, vanished on June 29, 2025, in Victoriaville, leaving behind a void that only the truth can fill.

Despite extensive police searches, divers, and helicopters, Nathalie has never been found. The only clue left behind was a haunting one: her clothing, discovered on the banks of the Nicolet River near a water treatment plant. Now, as spring arrives, her daughters are clinging to a flicker of hope that the melting snow and rising waters might finally reveal where their mother rests.

A Journey of Struggle and Resilience

Nathalie’s final years were marked by a courageous but difficult battle. Having lived in Western Canada and later in Belize, she had built a life far from Quebec. However, tragedy struck in January 2025 when she suffered a severe stroke (CVA) while living in Central America.

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of a GoFundMe campaign, Geneviève and Marie-Danielle were able to bring her back to Quebec in March 2025. Nathalie spent two months in intensive functional rehabilitation, making progress, but never regaining the independence she so deeply craved.

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• Cognitive Challenges: While her long-term memory remained intact, her short-term memory faded.
• Loss of Profession: A former French teacher, Nathalie found she could no longer write properly, often omitting spaces between words.
• Emotional Toll: Reaching a recovery plateau was devastating, leading her to move into the Pavillon Bujold-Lefebvre residence for people with loss of autonomy.

The Mystery of June 29th

The disappearance happened during a rare weekend when her daughters, who usually took turns hosting her, were taking a much-needed break. On the evening of June 28, 2025, Nathalie left her residence, visited a local convenience store to buy a beer, and was captured on camera crossing the Académie Street bridge. After that, she vanished.

The discovery of her clothes by the river suggests a tragic end. The sisters note that in cases of severe hypothermia, victims often remove their clothing—a phenomenon known as paradoxical undressing. While they briefly wondered if she had simulated her death, they quickly dismissed the idea; Nathalie was dependent and lacked the capacity to orchestrate such a complex plan. Furthermore, she left behind her wallet, passport, and cell phone.

A Plea for Community Vigilance

The tragedy is compounded by the mental health struggles Nathalie faced. Feeling like a burden to her children and believing she was ineligible for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), it is believed she may have taken matters into her own hands.

“My mother could have left surrounded by her two daughters holding her hand… rather than throwing herself into the water,” Marie-Danielle shared emotionally.

To find peace, the sisters are organizing a search effort on June 29th, marking one year since the disappearance. They are calling on farmers, hunters, and walkers in the Victoriaville area to keep a watchful eye for any remains or clues that may have surfaced with the spring floods.

The Final Wish: A Return to Paradise

For Geneviève and Marie-Danielle, the goal isn’t just about finding a body—it’s about dignity. They have already identified a final resting place: Belize. It was the place her mother loved, the paradise where she felt she belonged.

Until then, they remain grateful for the solidarity of the community. In a world that often feels individualistic, the support they’ve received has been a beacon of light in their darkest hour.