— by Jo Holland —
I am the Mom of the hiker that went off trail whilst trying to find her dog Bowser yesterday. When I recieved a call from my daughter, Keda, saying she was waiting for the Park rangers to come and assist her as she was ‘lost’. As a directionally challenged parent, I completely understood this and headed to Mtn. Lake to pick her up.
It wasn’t until I entered the parking lot and saw 2 fire truck, 1 ambulance, a sheriff’s car and 2 Park vehicles that I realized the seriousness of the situation. I want to thank all the people who came to Keda, and ultimately Bowser’s, rescue. I was overwhelmed with the caring and comforting nature of every single person I came in contact with.
Orcas Island is an example of what America is truly about. Without the heroic efforts yesterday, I would be crying tears of sadness instead of tears of joy. Not once during the 9 hours it took to get them off the mountain did I feel anything but confidence in the teams surrounding them and us.
A special thank you to Cindy from Friends of Orcas Pet Search and Rescue and Ranger Jeff for talking this Mom off the proverbial ledge. You all are so blessed to live on such a beautiful island surrounded by friends and neighbours who truly care.
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