SA国际影视传媒淥ne step at a time. One pedal stroke at a time.SA国际影视传媒�
Laval St. Germain lost his son Richard five years ago this summer.
Richard was following in the footsteps of his father, a Canadian North pilot, when the Alberta man moved north to fly for North-Wright Airways in Norman Wells in 2014. Three weeks later SA国际影视传媒� after making a "big impact" on the small Sahtu town SA国际影视传媒� Richard died.
A late night summer canoe paddle with a friend on the waters of the Mackenzie River turned tragic, and the 21-year-oldSA国际影视传媒檚 body was found days later after exhaustive searches from many community members.
Nearly five years since his son died, Laval - with nothing but a mountain bike, a tent, some gear and the hospitality of Northerners - rode his bike from Yellowknife to Norman Wells for one reason: SA国际影视传媒渢o make sure no other families go through this tragedy.SA国际影视传媒�
Upon his arrival in Norman Wells, Laval hand-delivered a $5,000 check to the Sahtu Search and Rescue Society, a volunteer-driven team based in the community.
Kearsey says the money will go toward desperately needed radios.
March 22, 2019.
The funds come from donations to the Richard St. Germain Rescue Fund, established by Laval and his wife shortly after their sonSA国际影视传媒檚 death.
Sahtu Society President Jaime Kearsey, who befriended Richard while working at a restaurant in town, said it was SA国际影视传媒渁mazingSA国际影视传媒� to finally meet his father. She and Laval had emailed and texted over the years since RichardSA国际影视传媒檚 death, but theySA国际影视传媒檇 never met.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was kind of like meeting an old friend, Kearsey told News/North.
Laval called the meeting with Kearsey SA国际影视传媒渃补迟丑补谤迟颈肠.SA国际影视传媒�
Laval said it meant a lot to SA国际影视传媒渟it with (Kearsey) and hear about RichardSA国际影视传媒檚 final moments before he walked out of the hotel.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淪he was one of the last people to see him,SA国际影视传媒� said Laval.
The $5,000 donation is the latest contribution in support of the Sahtu Search and Rescue Society from Laval, who is a SA国际影视传媒渉uge helpSA国际影视传媒� said Kearsey.
Every spring, Laval sends up 70 to 75 life jackets to be used along the river.
TheySA国际影视传媒檙e free to use - but should be placed back for others in need - and hang on welded structures Kearsey calls SA国际影视传媒渓ife trees.SA国际影视传媒�
In meeting Kearsey, Laval said she told him something special.
SA国际影视传媒淪he also informed me the impetus for the Sahtu Search and Rescue Society was the frustration they felt as a community when Richard died up there,SA国际影视传媒� said Laval.
Outpouring of support from the community
Kearsey was sitting down with a firefighter friend on the night of July 15, 2014, just after Richard helped her close the bar. SA国际影视传媒淚 told him to go home - no romancing or piano playing,SA国际影视传媒� she recalled.
SA国际影视传媒淢ost nights,SA国际影视传媒� residents would hear Richard playing away on a piano he found in a local church, said Kearsey.
But not long after leaving the bar, Richard went for a canoe ride with his friend. They encountered rough water and their canoe capsized. His friend was saved by a local passerby.
Richard couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be saved.
Neither of them were wearing life jackets.
SA国际影视传媒淗e was such talented, wonderful kid,SA国际影视传媒� remembered Kearsey.
The community showed an outpouring of support during the days-long search effort. But volunteers were ill-equipped and lacked training, even though they were doing the best they could, said Kearsey. People were scrambling to borrow radios and figure out logistics.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone from other communities came together - everyone in town,SA国际影视传媒� she added.
But the lack of resources and success promoted frustration from community members and volunteers.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was a lot a people, a lot of exhausted energy and just a feeling of hopelessness," said Kearsey.
"That experience, really showed our community that in the Sahtu, 'wait a minute we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a search and rescue unit, we only have us,'" she added.
That's when organizers established the Sahtu Search and Rescue Society.
"This all happened because of Richard," said Kearsey.
With the $5,000, the society will now be able to purchase its own radios, instead of relying on other communities or SA国际影视传媒渞andom people" in town.
The Richard St. Germain Rescue Fund, according to Kearsey has already donated $10,000 for equipment and training for the society.
SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the legacy - if you can pull anything out from the tragedy, it's that losing Richard may somehow end up saving someone from the same fate,SA国际影视传媒� said Laval.
Laval St. Germain, whose son lost his life in the Mackenzie River in 2014, dons a Sahtu Search and Research toque during the 12-day long trek across gravel and winter-turned mud roads.
March 22, 2018.
After leaving Yellowknife in -20 C weather, Laval, an experienced outdoorsman with a number of world-class endurance accomplishments, including being the only Canadian to climb Mount Everest without oxygen, biked 1,200 kilometres over 12 days. Across gravel and winter roads turned to muddy messes because of unseasonable heat, he went on from Fort Providence to Fort Simpson and then to Wrigley before reaching Norman Wells.
Many times, drivers would stop and hand him water or bannock, SA国际影视传媒渨ith few words spoken.SA国际影视传媒�
Along an isolated stretch of road between Wrigley and Tulita, Laval spotted a woman standing in front of a SA国际影视传媒渞emote, remoteSA国际影视传媒� cabin in the SA国际影视传媒渕iddle of nowhere.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淪he just said, SA国际影视传媒榙o you want some tea?'SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� Laval recalled warmly.
Laval would either sleep in his tent or knock on doors for a spare room. He said people would welcome him like theySA国际影视传媒檇 know him for SA国际影视传媒渙ne hundred years.SA国际影视传媒�
'Worth every pedal stroke and every penny'
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 care how cold it is - itSA国际影视传媒檚 the Northerners that keep it warm,SA国际影视传媒� said Laval.
The ride was SA国际影视传媒渢ough" and SA国际影视传媒済rueling at times.SA国际影视传媒� The reminders of RichardSA国际影视传媒檚 life and death were bittersweet. But for Laval, it was worth it.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 worth every pedal stroke and every penny if one person is saved," he said.
Out on the road, surrounded by a silence intermittently broken by the trotting of a wolf or a ptarmigan call, Laval felt closer to his son.
SA国际影视传媒淚t helps me deal with losing my boy,SA国际影视传媒� said Laval. SA国际影视传媒淚 got a lot of healing from my time in the North.SA国际影视传媒�
As for the future of the Sahtu Search and Rescue Society, Kearsey said with a SA国际影视传媒渟olid group theySA国际影视传媒檝e come a long way in the last few years and weSA国际影视传媒檙e just looking at going a lot further."
The society welcomes any donations to support search and rescue efforts.
