# "Kind Hearted Woman", Robin Poor Bear, dies at 38 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768 "2015-11-27T21:24:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/1 "2015-11-27T21:24:05Z")
> **[Robin Poor Bear (1977-2015) | FRONTLINE](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/robin-poor-bear-1977-2015/)** > > Robin Poor Bear, the "Kind Hearted Woman" profiled in the 2013 FRONTLINE/Independent Lens film of the same name, passed away at her North Dakota home last weekend. She died last weekend; the cause has not been revealed. It’s unknown what will happen to her children; none of her other family members are in any position to care for them. She and her two children were featured in a two-part PBS program that was filmed over 3 years; it’s a very powerful story about abuse and addiction. At the end of the program, she got married and seemed to be getting her life together. I’m not seeing any mention of a husband, so it sounds like it didn’t last ☹ RIP, Robin. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/2 "2015-11-28T18:42:43Z")
I watch _Frontline_ all the time, but for the life of me, can’t recall this story. It seems real familiar, but I don’t remember any details. I wonder if PBS will re-run this? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/3 "2015-11-28T19:27:41Z")
This was made by the same person who made “The Farmer’s Wife” in the late 1990s. I don’t think it was under any category; if it was, it would probably have been “Independent Lens” or “America Reframed”. It’s aired several times in my area, and will probably be shown again. There’s a DVD available, but IDK if it’s available on Netflix. It wasn’t when I went looking for it, but then I was able to Tivo it and watched it then. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/4 "2015-11-28T20:25:12Z")
Oops! I think the article did say it was _Independent Lens_. No sense in watching it now, I know how it ends. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/5 "2015-11-28T21:12:30Z")
I note that she was also known as Robin Charboneau, which makes me wonder if she was a descendant of Toussaint Charbonneau, the husband of Sacajawea. Slightly different spelling, however. Any idea of cause of death? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/6 "2015-11-28T22:22:12Z")
You can stream it directly from PBS [here](http://video.pbs.org/video/2364988874/). ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/7 "2015-11-28T22:51:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I note that she was also known as Robin Charboneau, which makes me wonder if she was a descendant of Toussaint Charbonneau, the husband of Sacajawea. Slightly different spelling, however. Any idea of cause of death? I know a guy whose last name is Clarke, wonder if he’s a descendant of Sacy’s pal William Clark. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/8 "2015-11-28T23:56:11Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > I know a guy whose last name is Clarke, wonder if he’s a descendant of Sacy’s pal William Clark. I’m assuming that’s snark. It’s not unreasonable to think that a Native American might be a descendant of a man who had a number of Indian wives (at least five) among tribes along the Missouri River, and who lived in their villages for many years. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/9 "2015-11-29T00:04:47Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > [Robin Poor Bear (1977-2015) | FRONTLINE](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/robin-poor-bear-1977-2015/) > > She died last weekend; the cause has not been revealed. It’s unknown what will happen to her children; none of her other family members are in any position to care for them. > > She and her two children were featured in a two-part PBS program that was filmed over 3 years; it’s a very powerful story about abuse and addiction. At the end of the program, she got married and seemed to be getting her life together. I’m not seeing any mention of a husband, so it sounds like it didn’t last ☹ > > RIP, Robin. I remember seeing that episode. Very powerful. I’m sorry to hear she died. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/10 "2015-11-30T00:35:14Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m assuming that’s snark. It’s not unreasonable to think that a Native American might be a descendant of a man who had a number of Indian wives (at least five) among tribes along the Missouri River, and who lived in their villages for many years. So if she’d been black and named Jeffersen would it be reasonable to wonder if she was related to Tommy boy without any other evidence and despite the change in spelling? PS any possible snark detected is intended to be good natured and more for a laugh than anything else ---
**Author:** ![giventofly77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f9ae1b/32.png) [@giventofly77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/giventofly77)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/11 "2015-12-01T15:48:27Z")
\*\*\*\*\*\* After hearing of Robin’s death I streamed the Independent Lens Documentary. she was an inspirational woman. Her children are young adults now, her daughter is in college. I wonder what the cause of death is, R.I.P. Robin :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-hearted-woman-robin-poor-bear-dies-at-38/738768/12 "2015-12-01T23:20:00Z")
Very sad, so young.