Especially around the holiday season, nothing is more important than family. Unfortunately getting stranded can put a damper on a family reunion. Luckily, one British Columbia, Canada man was there to be a good Samaritan for an American family in need. Moreover, he went above and beyond to do so.
A Family Reunion
Being in the military is a difficult job. Often, you’re required to be away from your family for a long time. So, on November 10th, 2020, Lynn Marchessault, a former member of the United States military took the opportunity to see her husband, who was currently in the military and stationed in Alaska. For Marchessault, this was quite the undertaking: she has two children, two dogs, and a cat, and all of them were coming along. It was a long trip: Georgia to Alaska. And what’s more, it was a new experience for Marchessault. “I had never driven in the snow,” she says. “It was like a whiteout kind of snowstorm. I wasn’t really familiar with that or even knew what it was called until this day.”
With no snow tires, Marchessault was struggling. (1, 2)
A Good Samaritan Story
On November 17th, 2020, Marchessault and her family stopped at a highway lodge on Pink Mountain. Not only did her pickup truck have no snow tires, but they were pulling a trailer behind them. Given all this, it was nearly impossible for her to drive through the twisting mountain roads.
The lodge was really only for temporary workers, but the residents allowed her to stay while she posted a cry for help online. (1,2)
Good Guy Gary
Gary Bath was a former member of the military and a Canadian ranger. When he saw Marchessault’s post, he was moved to help.
Marchessault was understandably a little nervous. “I had to make the hard choice — were my children safer in my own hands in these conditions, or in the hands of a kind stranger who was willing to get us to where we needed to be, safely,” she says. But after talking to Bath and his family on the phone, she was reassured. “I felt good about it from the beginning, like I knew these were good people and that it was a good choice to make,” (1, 2)
Taking To The Road
“I didn’t care how far it was,” says Bath. “I just knew they needed help and they had a few short days to hit the border before they were going to get in trouble, so. . .”
Because of COVID-19, Americans have between four to six days to pass through Canada if they want to get to Alaska.
After arriving in Alaska, the RCMP and donations from kind strangers helped Bath get back home. The families hope to reconnect after COVID-19.
“I’m so glad that the whole thing was over, but it was so hard to say goodbye to Gary and leave him,” Marchessault says. “We really bonded. I think we’ve become good friends. He’s a great and grand guy, and his wife is pretty awesome.” (1, 2)
