Humboldt tragedy mother lends support to inspiring survival event in Vernon

Photo: The Canadian Press

The mother of one of the young hockey players killed in the Humboldt Broncos tragedy in 2018 will be attending an inspiring event in Vernon.

Deep sea diver Chris Lemons is the keynote speaker for the Last Breath event at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre on Nov. 29.

Reasoning with life and death at the bottom of the North Sea, Lemons beat the odds after his lifeline and oxygen supply was cut.

He offers "an acute, honest and emotional testimony of what goes through ones mind when seemingly counting down the minutes to death, and how surprising and revealing ones response to such a situation can be," says Sherman Dahl of the Emily Dahl Foundation, who is bringing Lemons to the Okanagan.

"He also tentatively explores how staring death in the face can focus one's mind on life, as well as force you to contemplate the very finite nature of our time here on Earth.

"He moves beyond the miracle and communicates how teamwork, preparation, training, procedures, drills and practice played a huge role in his recovery and survival."

The event can help anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, says Dahl, who lost his own daughter, after whom the foundation is named.

And no one knows better than Laurie Thomas, whose son Evan was killed in the Broncos bus crash.

Thomas is making the trip from Saskatoon to support the Last Breath event.

Thomas says she and Dahl "share common ground. He and I belong to this club we never signed up for and (which) has forever changed our paths in life – the loss of a child."

"Laurie is full of energy and love," says Dahl... "No matter how hard the world pushes against us, within us, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back."