A cheerful woman and her husband overtook my leisurely pace at the top of Section 16 in Bear Creek Park.
“Your bucket hat is lovely,” she called out as she passed me with glee. I admired her cheerful demeanor.
About 45 minutes later, I came across them again, this time she was curled up like a shrimp in the dirt. Her distraught husband was crouched next to her, trying to comfort and help her that she was having some sort of medical emergency. It was unclear what was going on. The other three hikers were standing off to the side, also not knowing what to do.
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I recognized her blonde hair and all-black outfit, but she was now a far cry from her former self, shivering, moaning, freezing, vomiting and saying she was afraid she was going to pass out. It was a horrifying sight, and my heart ached for this stranger who probably never expected to find herself sprawled out in the woods on a Sunday afternoon, ready to explode.
It's hard to know what to do in a moment like this when you're faced with someone in shock and pain. Your muscles are cramping and your mind races with thoughts of how to help. I offered her water, snacks and grapes, but she wouldn't eat or drink anything. I offered to run down so we could get better cell signal, but luckily one of the other hikers was able to contact 911, but they were put on hold due to the numerous calls for service.
A few minutes later an operator came over and was able to tell us the location was about a mile off Gold Camp Road.
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There wasn't much I could do but I stayed, as did the other hikers, and sometimes all you can offer is your presence and comfort.
Although the sick woman was reluctant to be moved from her spot on the dirt, the group felt the need to move her off the trail as quickly as possible. Her husband picked her up and carried her down the mountain, taking turns carrying her with another male hiker who had passed by and offered to help. They carried her to High Drive, near Gold Camp Road, where three paramedics met us with a stretcher.
We all left the couple there because we didn't want to be bystanders and didn't want to cause trouble for the situation. No names or information were exchanged so we don't know what happened. We pray that she is ok.
I thought about that for a long time afterwards: how we decide to help in times of crisis, to run instead of run, and that ultimately, human beings are just so decent. These strangers wanted to help, and they did, in little ways: calling 911, giving her a sweater because she was freezing, praying for her. And total strangers helped carry her a mile. It took a village to help her.
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It also reminded me to carry a few extra items on hikes in case of future emergencies, like hypoglycemic candy, layers of clothing, air-activated hand warmers, electrolyte packs, and always plenty of water.
On a side note, this summer I decided to carry a portable dog water bowl with me while I was roaming the woods. On 90 degree days, I saw many big fluffy dogs pass me by when their owners had very little water in them and there was a natural water source miles away. This made for a very dark hike. So from now on, when I see a dog panting and no water available, I'm going to pull out my collapsible bowl and become a dog bartender.
Our animals also have a right to live in the village.
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