A journey that started in Alberta nearly three months ago came to an end on the tip of northern Vancouver Island this weekend with a leap into the cold depths of the ocean.
Dwayne Buckle is a firefighter who walked from Red Deer, across the Rockies, through the Kootenays, into the Lower Mainland, and all the way up Vancouver Island to Port Hardy to raise funds for cancer.
Buckle set out from Red Deer on Oct. 21, stating the reason behind the hike was that he had three family members who had passed away from cancer: B次元官网网址渕y grandfather, my auntie, and my cousin.B次元官网网址�
After coming up with the idea that he was going to B次元官网网址榟ike for the cure,B次元官网网址� it only took him five days to actually hit the road after making up his mind.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 been sitting back thinking about how my family pushed me and never gave up and made me fight for everything I wanted,B次元官网网址� he said, noting it was actually his aunt who was really instrumental in helping him achieve his goals in life, and this was how he wanted to honour his family.
The hike from Red Deer to B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Lower Mainland featured one of the toughest parts of the journey, Rogers Pass B次元官网网址� a dangerous crossing in the Selkirk Mountains east of Revelstoke. This was the only part of the journey he had a support vehicle with him, Buckle said that was due to his friends not wanting him B次元官网网址渢o get stuck in the snow tunnels or the crazy weather conditions at the top.B次元官网网址�
After catching the ferry to Vancouver Island, Buckle started the final part of his 1,500 km trek. He said it was B次元官网网址渆ventful, very physical, with lots of beautiful scenery along the way, and of course there were some big challenges like weather, traffic, and road conditions.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎s I started coming up-Island, I met so many amazing people who were very kind and helped me get to the end.B次元官网网址�
Buckle even had a run-in with a cougar during the hike. He reached for his phone instead of his knife, B次元官网网址渂ut by the time I got my phone out it was already in the bush again,B次元官网网址� he laughed.
After travelling with fire crews following him through Sayward, Woss, and Port McNeill, he woke up on the morning of Jan. 10 ready to finish his journey.
B次元官网网址淚t was like every other morning, but I was stoked, I knew this was the end and I was ready to push,B次元官网网址� he said.
Due to extremely rainy weather conditions, his gear bag, which normally weighs 45 pounds, swelled to about 50 pounds, but that didnB次元官网网址檛 stop Buckle as he kept moving through the storm.
Port Hardy Fire Rescue met him at the B次元官网网址榃elcome to Port HardyB次元官网网址� sign, and from there they walked with him into town.
As he came around the bend at the top of the hill overlooking Carrot Park, he saw the ocean waiting for him at the bottom of the hill.
The only thing going through BuckleB次元官网网址檚 head at that moment was B次元官网网址淚 came this far, letB次元官网网址檚 get it done.B次元官网网址�
He walked down the hill right into Carrot Park, and then kept going straight to the ocean and dove in. He then dove in a second time.
Why the second dive, you might be wondering?
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had a lot of conversations with people dealing with cancer and they said in the cancer unit they have a bell for the last treatment of chemo, and a few followers asked me to jump in the ocean for a second time, so thatB次元官网网址檚 what the second leap was for,B次元官网网址� he explained.
Above all else he wanted to acknowledge his aunt Sharon Ancelet, his cousin Lyle Ancelet, his grandfather Victor Carpenado, B次元官网网址渁nd anybody else out there whoB次元官网网址檚 dealing with cancer or suffering from it, this was all in support of them as well.B次元官网网址�
After 82 days on the road, he added heB次元官网网址檚 feeling sore, and that it will take B次元官网网址渁bout a month to get my feet adjusted and my bones back to normal.B次元官网网址�
With only a few rest days in Port Hardy, he will heal up and then head back to Red Deer.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got a lot of people asking, B次元官网网址榦h are you hiking itB次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 like B次元官网网址榥o no, IB次元官网网址檓 busing it this time,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he laughed.
BuckleB次元官网网址檚 fundraising goal is $2,500, which he estimates he will definitely be hitting before he leaves Port Hardy to go back home.
editor@northislandgazette.com
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