His mouth open in both wonder and horror, Laurent Pelletier stares at the carnivorous armored bush cricket that has landed in front of him on the picnic table. He is camping with his family near Fish River Canyon in Namibia, in southwest Africa. The insect, yellow and light green, has a collar of spikes and six spindly legs planted in a boxer's stance. It's as big as the 5-year-old's hand.
"Can we eat it?" he asks his mom, Edith Lemay.
"I don't think so," she says, laughing.
"Then can I take it as a traveling companion?"
"No, but you'll meet many more."
And Laurent did, over and over again during the first few months of a yearlong trip through Africa, Asia and the Middle East with his mother; his father, Sébastien Pelletier; and his three older siblings, Mia, 12, Léo, 10, and Colin, 7. Bush crickets, ground crickets, baby crickets, crickets whose chirping lulled them to sleep at night the creatures became talismans, lucky charms on the family's journey around the world.
Far from their home in Boucherville, Quebec, looking to imprint as many once-in-a-lifetime memories as they could rack up, they rode horses across the bright green steppes of Mongolia, kayaked on the azure sea off Cambodia, camped under the soaring brick-red peaks of Namibia and flew in a hot air balloon over the brown, lunar-like landscape in Turkey.
The memories really matter because unless science makes a breakthrough soon, three of the four siblings-Mia, Colin and Laurent-will become blind, likely in adulthood. The children have been diagnosed with a disease that has no effective treatment and no specific timeline as it gradually robs them of their sight.
THE DIAGNOSES came after a four-year search for the reason that Mia couldn't see at night. As a toddler, she banged into walls and furniture that her mom and dad could make out once their eyes adjusted to the dark.
Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.
