The victim of last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 fatal bear attack near the Mackenzie River was warned of the dangers of camping in remote country just days before he was mauled to death.
A chance encounter led Lyn Anderson to cross paths with victim Julien Gauthier, 44, in Fort Simpson on Aug. 10.
Gauthier was killed five days later.
Anderson, a long time Fort Simpson resident, was walking by the mudflats along the river SA国际影视传媒� near the Rock Monument SA国际影视传媒� with his partner Brenda Norwegian when he spotted an inflatable canoe by the water.
Camille Toscani, a biologist embarking on a canoe trip from Fort Providence to Inuvik alongside Gauthier, soon appeared.
SA国际影视传媒淲e found out they were on a trip of a lifetime on the Mackenzie River,SA国际影视传媒� Anderson told News/North.
Anderson, who said he often helps travellers passing through town, gave Toscani a ride in his truck to Fort Simpson Territorial Park, where she and Gauthier were staying the night.
SA国际影视传媒淭hen we met Julien,SA国际影视传媒� recalled Anderson, who described Gauthier as a SA国际影视传媒渉appy, really nice guy.SA国际影视传媒�
Lyn Anderson was one of the last people to see Julien Gauthier alive. The sound-gathering composer was killed by a bear less than a week after the two crossed paths in Fort Simpson. Anderson remembers Gauthier as a "happy, really nice guy," who was ecstatic about embarking on a "once in a lifetime trip," with his friend, Camille Toscani.
SA国际影视传媒淵ou could tell he was just on cloud nine. They were just totally happy that they were going on the trip,SA国际影视传媒� he added.
SA国际影视传媒淚 knew they were special people.SA国际影视传媒�
Anderson, a trapper who has had many close calls with bears over his 50-plus years in the area, eventually brought up bears in conversation with the travellers.
He asked Gauthier and Toscani if they had a gun to protect themselves.
They told him they had bear spray, but no gun.
SA国际影视传媒�(Toscani) reassured me she was a biologist and sheSA国际影视传媒檇 dealt with bears before and there shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be a problem,SA国际影视传媒� said Anderson. He told the travellers he wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 trying to scare them and they all shared a laugh, Anderson remembered.
Anderson and Norwegian wished Gauthier and Toscani well before they parted ways. They said they were planning on getting a ride to Wrigley the next day to make up for lost time, said Anderson.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat was the last time we saw them,SA国际影视传媒� said Anderson.
Less than a week later, Anderson heard the tragic news SA国际影视传媒� Toscani had waved down campers in a remote area some 50 kilometres south of Tulita after Gauthier was attacked and killed by a bear in the middle of the night.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was just floored. It was just kind of a horror for me when I heard about it,SA国际影视传媒� said Anderson, who became emotional when he learned of the attack.
SA国际影视传媒淚 end up giving them my experience and my take on bears, then to hear that he got killed by a bear SA国际影视传媒� it hit me like a ton of bricks."
Anderson said he knows the deadly attack was beyond his control, but he wishes he would have imparted the pair with more advice to avoid bear encounters SA国际影视传媒� like sleeping around a large bonfire.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been bothering me ever since,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Before the travellers parted ways with Anderson and his partner, Toscani gave Norwegian her email address.
When the time is right, Anderson said he hopes to send his condolences to her.
