OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Adventure Outdoors Helps Heal After a Tragic Fire

- MERCEDES LILIENTHAL

In the dead of night, fellow overland-ers Trisha Mills and Bill Carmichael awoke to a wall of smoke and heard windows in their second-story dining room blowing out sequentially as the fire headed toward them. With little time to react, they were forced to toss their beloved miniature Schnauzer, Dexter, out the window and jump approximately 20 feet to the ground, following after him.

TRAGEDY HIT THE HITCHING

Post Four months after they purchased the heritage building—which included the historic Hitching Post restaurant with their living quarters atop it—it caught fire. Ironically, last-minute plans changed Trisha and Bill’s outing of a camping adventure to now staying at home; they were going to have their fire extinguishers and fire arrest system inspected the very next morning.

They nearly lost their lives when the fire engulfed the Hedley, British Columbia, Canadian property—trapping them on the second story with no way out but to jump. As Dexter ran off into orange-stained darkness, neighbors pulled Trisha and Bill to safety. Tragically, they watched their livelihood burn to the ground. Outdoor adventures are what originally brought them together, and that would also help heal their wounds after the horrible fire.

DESTINED TRAVELING COMPANIONS