Leila’s Legacy

Leila’s Legacy This page honours the memory of Leila Kuusselka a grade 5 student in Gimli who was brutally r***d and murdered in 1973.

The Kuusselka family volunteered many years of their lives to provide young people iwith safe places of acceptance and belonging.

09/03/2026

My name is Anders Kuusselka. All my life I have tried to avoid facing stress and misery. Now I feel it is time I finally take a stand and deal with this horrible event that took place in our lives 1973. I want to go to the place where they found Leila’s body. If anybody knows the location please let me know. I know the RCMP would most likely have a record of the site. My father placed a wooden cross there and I hope it is still there.

This is a photo of my murdered little sister Leila’s funeral in 1973. Me, my mother and father in black and my four sist...
09/02/2026

This is a photo of my murdered little sister Leila’s funeral in 1973. Me, my mother and father in black and my four sisters wearing white tops are standing in front behind the coffin.

08/31/2026

On this day in 1973 something horrible happened to our family. Our youngest sister 10 years old went missing. It is also my parents wedding anniversary.
I remember the horror, of looking for her every day in Gimli, while we were supposed to have moved to Winnipeg. At night we could not sleep, praying and hoping she was all right. Then the news came. How could anybody be so cruel to an innocent child! My mother could not bear the pain, cancer took over her body, she died not long after. One day, we will all be together again. Love you Leila and mom, dad too

Some memories from a hat day at our youth program.
08/20/2026

Some memories from a hat day at our youth program.

07/02/2026

David Kuusselka did an awesome job of lead guitar playing during Sunrise Band’s performance on Canada Day at Gimli Pavilion.

Please join us on Canada Day for a wonderful afternoon of music and dance performances at the Gimli Park.
06/30/2026

Please join us on Canada Day for a wonderful afternoon of music and dance performances at the Gimli Park.

Happy 63rd Birthday up in heaven Leila. You will be forever in my heart. This picture was taken around the time she went...
06/24/2026

Happy 63rd Birthday up in heaven Leila. You will be forever in my heart. This picture was taken around the time she went missing.

06/23/2026

It was fun doing some kids songs at the Community Barbecue Picnic at Gimli Park.

The Sunrise Band had a wonderful time performing at the Gimli Park Barbecue Picnic hosted by Community Living and Family...
06/21/2026

The Sunrise Band had a wonderful time performing at the Gimli Park Barbecue Picnic hosted by Community Living and Family Advocacy Network for families with children with intellectual disabilities. The youth and adults had a lot of fun dancing, playing games and eating delicious food.

Leila’s Legacy has a long history. Anders Kuusselka’s sister Leila was murdered in 1973 when she was only 10 years old. ...
06/16/2026

Leila’s Legacy has a long history. Anders Kuusselka’s sister Leila was murdered in 1973 when she was only 10 years old. She was a drummer in his family band. The tragedy was devastating and Anders decided to go to Bible School in Swan River because he wanted to meet his sister one day in heaven. Shortly after graduating he had a terrible work accident and broke his hips and ribs from a three story fall. He had a near death experience and left his body and floated towards a bright light and loud beautiful music. He was looking forward to seeing his sister but for some reason God made him return to his damaged body.
It was not his time to die. He had to complete his purpose on this earth. Since Leila was a music lover Anders decided to pursue musical programs for youth. He went to University of Manitoba to become a music teacher. When he taught school in Gimli he began an after school music program called NexGen Garage band. The church beside Gimli high School provided him with free space to teach music to Gimli High School students. Large numbers of youth came to learn music and to perform in coffee houses every month. After retiring from teaching Anders ran after school drop-in programs at Evergreen Basic Needs and at DGJMS. Then he worked as a director of the Bridge Youth Drop-In in program in Arborg. After that he started a YFC youth program called The Wave. The RM of Gimli allowed us to use the Rec Centre and Gimli Pavilion for two years. Then Bayview church provided space for us and allowed us to store Youth program equipment in sheds on their property. The Rotary Club also allowed Anders to run an Interact Club for two years. Everything Anders did was to honour the memory of his sister Leila who was murdered in Gimli. Unfortunately Leila’s Legacy has not access to any public buildings in Gimli. The Saint Michael’s Catholic Church is the only church that still allows Youth to come for guitar lessons. Young adults over 18 years of age meet in Anders’ studio on Sundays at 4:00 pm in Siglavik. Hopefully Leila’s Legacy will have more space to operate next year to operate a youth music program. Unfortunately Bayview church wants all the sheds that housed our craft supplies, sports and gaming equipment, drum kits, sound systems and stage lights to be moved out ASAP. We need new storage space for all our equipment. We hope that people who take the sheds will let Anders store some of his equipment in the sheds as he needs to transport the equipment to many musical events in the Interlake.

Address

Gimli, MB
R0C1B0

Opening Hours

Monday 7pm - 9pm
Tuesday 3:30pm - 6pm
Wednesday 4pm - 9pm
Thursday 3:30pm - 6pm
Friday 3:30pm - 9pm
Sunday 6pm - 8pm

Telephone

+12046424784

Website

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