Let Us Be Brave
Page 25
“That’s probably the quickest way. We can have an ambulance meet you at the dock and get the two medical cases to the hospital ASAP. Over.”
“One other thing. Someone will need to take care of the uninjured Special Olympics athletes when we arrive in Homer, especially if their coach is in the hospital. Is that possible? Over.”
A medical professional came on the radio, and the two discussed specifics about Patrick and Helen. He gave Jack tips on what to do to help them. At the end of the radio transmission, Jack told Kodiak that he would be out of radio range for at least one hour while they organized the evacuation. They agreed that Jack would call with an update once they were ready to leave Iniskin Bay.
On the way back to shore in the tiny dinghy, everything was dark with the dense fog. Every sound was magnified by his imagination as he walked down the beach in search of the trail up the hill to the cabins. He could hear and see a bear behind every tree and bush. The last straw for his nerves was when he found fresh brown bear scat right on the trail at its base near the beach. He pulled out the can of bear spray that he had picked up while on board and had it handy as he started the ascent through the dense brush up to the cabin. To maintain his emotional control, he sang:
“Oh, when the saints go marching in,
Oh, when the saints go marching in.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number,
When the saints go marching in.”
He was extra loud to scare off any critters in the area and give them knowledge of his location. He repeated the song only seven times before he finally saw the smokehouse and then the secure cabin. He sighed with relief. He always felt safer on board his boat than in the wilds of Alaska.
After a wait that seemed like forever, they heard Jack singing.
Marie, Nicholi, and Sam ran out on the porch, tripping over the duffels. Mark followed behind.
“What’s the word?” asked Mark.
“Pack ’em up, gang. Let’s go sailing.”
“See, Nicholi, no airplanes. You’re going to love it,” said Helen from inside the cabin.
“Are we leaving right now?” asked Mark.
“If you’re ready.”
“I think we are,” said Diane, looking at Helen. “Anything that isn’t cleaned up can be taken care of later.”
Helen nodded.
“Helen, I’ll come back with you and help with whatever else still needs to be done, like hauling groceries and splitting new wood,” said Mark. “It’ll be fun.”
“Okay then, everyone grab your duffels,” said Marie.
Nicholi and Lillian picked up their bags and started to walk down the porch steps.
Mark went into the cabin and scooped up Patrick to carry him down the hill. Helen, startled, looked at Marie to see if she noticed. Marie’s eyebrows went up and her eyes widened with amazement. They had all struggled to move Patrick even a foot at a time. The two sisters were mightily impressed with the handsome FAA guy named Mark.
“Come on, Skipper, let’s get this guy to the boat. Lead the way.”
The dog started running around and around Mark’s legs, barking happily.
Patrick weakly said, “Better put a bandana on my face. Ash’s still in the air out there.”
Diane found a bandana by the coat hooks, shook it out, and tied it around Patrick’s face. “That good?”
“Yeah, I’m ready,” he said, exhausted but happy.
Diane and Jack put the bed mattress back on the bunk, and Sam took the plywood out to the porch.
“Sam, show Jack where that goes and then grab your duffel to go down to the beach,” called Helen.
The two carried the plywood to the woodshed, stored it in a dry location inside against the wall, and secured the door.
Before Helen left, she placed a letter on the table to Indian Joe and his wife, expressing their gratitude for the use of his place and promising that they would be returning to clean, replenish supplies, and cut wood. With help from Diane, Helen was soon on the porch, surveying the inside before she closed the door for the last time. “I’m sure grateful we had this place. I’m not sure how much more disastrous this trip would have been if we’d been outside any longer than we were.”
“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through,” said Jack.
“How did you take care of everyone, and do everything, with your injury and all? You know what I mean,” said Diane.
“They rescued me. I did very little. I couldn’t. I was mostly asleep for days. My team did everything. These individuals are incredibly talented, though others don’t always see their abilities.”
Sam grabbed his duffel in one arm and the remains of the orange emergency bag in the other. Jack carried the wet clothes duffel in one arm and grasped Helen’s arm with the other. Marie had her duffel in one hand and the other on her sister’s arm to assist. Diane bounced the wheelchair down the porch and pushed it down the hillside trail with Patrick’s duffel in the seat.
Nicholi, carrying the smoked salmon in one hand and his duffel in the other, led the pack down the hill with Lillian close behind him. He stopped long enough to say to her, “We did good when we found this place.” He looked back up at the cabin with pride.
Lillian said, perfectly clearly, loudly enough for all to hear her, “Yes, you did good.” She smiled her gentle smile, took one last look at the cabin, and turned to continue her descent.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard her talk,” said Diane.
“She chooses when she wants to verbally communicate with others,” said Helen. “I have to admit, that’s only the second time I’ve heard her talk loud in the five years I’ve known her.
It took time to get everyone down the hill to the boat. The tide had turned, so it took even more to get everyone relayed on board. Jack took Diane out first so she could arrange everything as it arrived and handle the boom for Patrick and Skipper. Then Marie, who could be a great help with Patrick. While Jack returned to shore, the two arranged the aft bunk for Patrick so he would be propped up. They got the oxygen bottle ready for him just in time for his arrival.
“Diane, we’re here,” called Jack. She hurried outside and pulled the Life sling out of its storage container on the side of the boat. She attached it to the boom and swung it out. Jack grabbed it and carefully put the well-padded sling around Patrick, who was coughing a lot from all the movement, but smiling. Jack attached the carabiners to the ring on the chest of the sling and hoisted him over and up on board. Once he was safe, Marie held on to the dinghy rope and Jack climbed on board to help move Patrick to his new bed.
“Where do you want him?” asked Mark.
“Aft bunk. It’s all ready. We’ll have to move him together.”
The two picked up Patrick carefully. Diane had his feet and Jack had his upper body. The passageways were narrow, but soon Patrick was propped up, smiling, looking quite comfortable in the small but tastefully decorated cabin in the boat. They fixed the oxygen bottle and tubing for Patrick’s breathing and left to finish loading everything.
Soon Marie was at his side. “I got to help Diane with the stuff as it gets here, but I’ll check on you a lot. Diane said you need to sleep, so do it,” she said bossily.
“Okay,” he whined. He closed his eyes, but it was hard to relax in the rocking boat. He had never been in a sailboat before. He was curious and excited to have an adventure. Sleep wasn’t something he wanted to do, but he was so-o-o-o tired.
Marie climbed back up to the cockpit and watched as Jack drove the dinghy back and forth, carrying load after load of valuable passengers and equipment. She helped everyone and everything come on board. Diane told people where they could put their duffels and sit. Once Helen was on board, she stayed in the saloon area at the table and helped control the pandemonium. All bags were stored in the bow. Finally, Mark and the emergency orange bag had their turn in the dinghy.
“I thought we could do it in an hour, but it took us over two,” said Jack.
�
�Typical. It always takes twice as long as we imagine,” said Diane.
Marie, Lillian, and Nicholi kept sneaking in to check on Patrick. “He looks pink now,” whispered Nicholi.
Marie had to agree and told Helen the good news when they returned to the dining area. “We think Patrick looks more pink than purple.”
Diane sneaked into the aft cabin and lifted the blanket to inspect before she returned to the galley. “Nicholi, I have to agree with you. Even his hands and feet have a pinker tone. He’s sleeping like a baby.”
“Et et s o ah od. I ant y mama” (Let’s get this show on the road. I want my mama), said Sam with a big smile.
“What did he say?” asked Mark.
Helen interpreted Sam’s signed words.
“You got it, boy,” said Mark. He stuck his head out the door and looked up to the wheelhouse. “Jack, let’s get this show on the road. That’s the order from Sam. He wants to see his mama.”
Chapter 46
News Break
Auntie was sitting in the living room, watching Wheel of Fortune on TV. She needed to fix dinner, but she really enjoyed trying to beat the contestants at figuring out the giant word puzzles. Suddenly in the middle of the Prize Puzzle, the show was interrupted.
Matilda James came on screen. “This is a KBER News Break. Alaska Search and Rescue just announced the five missing Special Olympics athletes and their pilot have been found alive. A boat rescue is in process at this moment. We will have more information for you as it is available. To repeat, the Special Olympics team from Pebble Lake that disappeared almost two weeks ago has been found, and they are being rescued at this time. We hope to have more information by News at Ten tonight.”
Wheel of Fortune returned to the TV screen. A man wearing an army uniform reached down and pulled the giant wheel. It landed on $500.
Melinda pressed the off button on her remote, danced around the room with joy, and screamed, “Harvey, Harvey, they found Helen and the kids!!!! Harvey, where are you?” She finally found him outside working in their garden, and she charged up to give him an exuberant hug. One arm of his happily hugged her back and the other wisely held his hoe up to protect his much-loved broccoli plants from the sharp tool.
Chapter 47
Media Blitz
The trip across Cook Inlet and into Kachemak Bay was long but uneventful. Acapella III was meant for sailing, and though there was a motor on board, it was a small 75-horse diesel. Every half hour the radio went off, and Search and Rescue asked for an update on their location. It was well after midnight when they finally rounded the end of Homer Spit and found the entrance to Homer Harbor where lights were blazing all night long.
Jack single-handedly maneuvered the boat into the slip, and Diane and Mark jumped off to secure it to the cleats on the dock. Immediately several news reporters came down the dock with cameras and lighting to interview everyone. They had been waiting for hours in the hope of a news-breaking story.
Diane looked at Mark and Jack. “Mark, you’re the leader of this escapade, so you talk to them.”
Jack dipped his head in agreement.
With a strong, commanding voice, Mark said, “Do any of you know where the ambulance is? We need to get these passengers to the hospital. We don’t have time for interviews now. I’ll talk to you once they’re on their way, but not until.”
There were not only Alaskan news reporters and cameramen but also national ones from CBS, NBC, and ABC mixed in the swarm of media. Jack got on the phone and called 911, asking where the ambulances were and requesting police assistance to deal with the media.
“There are two ambulances traveling on Spit Road at this time along with a police cruiser to assist.”
“I think we might need more than one policeman to help with crowd control.”
“I’ll relay the information.”
“Thank you, operator! It’s much appreciated. With all this media hubbub, I don’t think I should move the Special Olympians that are asleep in the boat. It might frighten them, one large boy in particular. They have no idea how much press they’ve received.”
Late that afternoon Irene and Danielle were about to return from their bus tour of the Anchorage Art Museum, the Alaska Native Cultural Center, and the Anchorage Zoo. It was all part of the cruise package, and since the two ladies were only going to be in town for three days, they’d decided to take it. Irene was exhausted from all the walking and excited to soon see Michael. He was going to meet them at their hotel.
Michael had been napping for twenty minutes in his warm vehicle in the parking lot of the hotel where Grandma Irene and Danielle were staying. When he woke up, he knew right away that something was going to happen, but he didn’t know what. There were several television and newspaper reporters and cameramen standing around getting ready for an event of some sort.
A giant tour bus with bears, moose, caribou, Dahl sheep, and eagles painted all over the sides and back pulled into the parking lot. That was his grandma’s tour bus. Suddenly the parking lot came alive. All around him doors opened and shut quickly and the news media surrounded the door of the bus.
Danielle noticed what was happening and said, “Grandma Irene, look at all the TV and news media outside.”
They sat still and patiently watched what was happening.
The tour guide said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please sit still for a moment so I can find out what this is all about.”
A few of the tourists stood up to stretch and retrieve their belongings from the overhead racks, but most sat watching the buzzing bees outside the windows.
The door of the bus opened, and the tour guide met the wall of media on the bottom steps. “What is this all about?”
One newsman called out from the swarm, “We’d like to interview Irene Vaughn. We understand she found the lost Special Olympics plane in Cook Inlet. It’s because of her that they were able to narrow the search area down. Is she on your bus?”
The tour guide looked at her roster and found the name on the list. She scanned the occupants of the bus and quickly realized Irene was the little white-haired lady that had gotten lost a couple of times that the day. It had been one of those days that made her grateful she could go home and put her feet up for a while before going outside to work in her peaceful flower garden. It was just about over.
Another news reporter called out to the tour guide, “Does Irene Vaughn know that they found the athletes alive?”
“Grandma, did you hear that? They found the lost Special Olympics team.” Danielle wanted to know more but didn’t want to face all the cameras again. She wasn’t sure what they should do, but for the moment, they would just sit still . . . .
“Dear, we have to face them,” said Irene.
Then Danielle saw her cousin Michael out the window. “Grandma, there’s Michael too!” she exclaimed excitedly. She turned to the tour guide. “He’s my cousin and a newsman.”
“Let him in the bus and he’ll help us,” said Irene.
The tour guide went back to the door and beckoned him in.
Once the bus door closed, they approached Danielle and Irene. “How do you want to handle this?” the tour guide asked, looking at Michael.
“Start with getting all these passengers off the bus first so they can get going. Then we’ll walk off last and face the cameras,” he said.
All the other passengers on the bus agreed with the plan and stood to leave. The bus driver let the steady stream of passengers depart.
“From what I heard out there, they found the Special Olympics team. I just flew in from King Salmon and Naknek where I was doing a news story on the commercial fishing season. A young passenger in my plane spotted a big SOS on the beach through the fog. We got a GPS on the location. It was a sailboat that actually found them, I just heard. Don’t know anything more.”
“Okay, Grandma, let’s go face them again. Maybe we can find out how the people who were on the lost plane are,” said Danielle.
Irene slowly sto
od up and stretched. She could do this again. Actually it was kind of fun. The two Californians and the Alaskan started down the aisle of the bus.
Chapter 48
Two Weeks After
Patrick was released from the hospital after a week and a half of treatment. His breathing had returned to normal, as had his coloring. Patrick expected to go right home, but Billy said that the doctors wanted him to stay in Anchorage a few more days just to make sure he was cured. They were staying in the Sheraton on Sixth Avenue.
On the morning of their last day there, Billy told Patrick that they were to go to a Special Olympics Alaska board meeting that evening. Patrick had never been to a board meeting before and wasn’t sure he wanted to go. It sounded stuffy and boring to him.
That evening Billy helped him put on the dress shirt that he’d brought for the opening ceremony of the state games, the games his whole team had missed. “Billy,” he said, “why do I have to go to a Special Olympics board meeting?”
“Because you’ve been invited. It’s an honor.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll go.”
“We have a big surprise for you afterwards, but you’ll have to wait to find out what it is.”
“Who is we?”
Someone knocked on the door. Patrick, now in his power chair, drove to the door and put his hand on the lever to open it.
“Surprise!” yelled Nicholi, Sam, Marie, and Helen. Lillian smiled at him, which was as good as yelling.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were all in Pebble Lake.”
“No, Special Olympics paid for us to come to town today. We flew in this morning,” said Helen.
“Nicholi flew?”
“I had to. Lillian made me. She said she wouldn’t make me any more smoked fish if I didn’t. I ate everything from the cabin.”