To the editor:

Our family drove up to Bridge Lake to have a Thanksgiving weekend and close up the cabin.

The drive there on Saturday morning was beautiful, sunny all the way from Tsawwassen to Bridge Lake. It was picture perfect as we looked forward to our short weekend at the lake — four of us and our two small dogs.

A few miles from the cabin our car hit loose gravel and we ended up hitting a deep ditch, deploying airbags, smoke and a lot of noise as the horn went on and stayed on.

We all got out of the car somewhat in shock, but with minor injuries. The car was not so lucky.

From the moment the accident happened, we were fortunate to feel the helping hands of the people of Bridge Lake come to our aid and rescue. It is very humbling to be in a position where you rely on the kindness of strangers. It is even more rewarding when the call is answered just as humbly.

In the middle of rural British Columbia, you don’t have the resources we take for granted in the city. We didn’t even have cell phone access. The resources of rural B.C. are the people.

We would like to thank everyone from the moment the accident happened and the cabin owners on Bridge Lake Road who came to our aid to the person from No. 11 down the road, who was kind enough to tell us how to turn the horn off and followed our tied-together little car back to our cabin a few miles down the road.

I would love to recognize Aunt Jessie’s owner, Alex, and his son for letting us use their phone, sharing a cup of coffee and pumpkin pie, and letting us know there is kindness everywhere. I was entertained with a true older gentleman’s company as he shared the stories of a long and interesting life.

On Sunday, as we tried to venture cautiously back home in our damaged car, we found out very quickly it was not possible. We had to stop at Bridge Lake Store as our radiator was leaking and the car was overheated. So, we were stranded in Bridge Lake with no way home.

Once again the community came to our rescue. We would like to thank the store owners and operators for the use of their phone over and over again that day as we tried to find a solution. When we offered to pay for the phone use, they refused.

Unfortunately, there was no available mechanic open nearby.

Honda road assistance told us the closest dealer was Kamloops and the car had to be towed

to the dealership.

The Bridge Lake towing company then came to our aid and waited for an hour as we tried to find a rental-car solution. The closest rental car was 100 Mile House and was not open.

Fate stepped in and a customer in the store, looking for anti-freeze to close up his cabin, overheard us and stepped in to help. As it turns out, there was no anti-freeze to be found and because we had extra anti-freeze left at the cabin, we offered to give it to him in exchange for a ride back to our cabin and neighbour, Alex, to see if he had an extra vehicle we could borrow.

Ed, from Langley and a fellow cabin owner on Bridge Lake, drove us back to our cabin to pick up the anti-freeze and he shared stories about his perspective on life. He said when bad things happen, you just have to acknowledge – it’s done, it’s happened. You can’t look back and second guess or blame or question, he said, you just find solutions to something that has happened.

I think I really needed to hear his words of wisdom and don’t believe it was purely a coincidence he was a random stranger standing beside me in the general store who needed anti-freeze.

As it turns out, Alex didn’t have a spare insured vehicle we could borrow, so Ed drove us back to the store and the waiting and patient tow truck driver.

They had room in the tow truck for one passenger. If we could find a rental company that had a vehicle for us, the driver would take one of us with him and our car to Kamloops, so we could rent a car.

Budget Rental had a car available, but time was of the essence as it was now mid-afternoon and they closed at 4:30 p.m.

Bridge Lake Towing drove off with my husband as Ed drove the three of us, our two dogs and our belongings back to our cabin to wait.

We arrived in Tsawwassen around 1:30 a.m. — all tired and in a bit of shock from the events of the weekend.

It was a Thanksgiving to remember.

We are extremely grateful to the community of Bridge Lake who showed us the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Everyone shared what they had, showed kindness to their neighbours and did more than they had to. It was bountiful in every sense.

Dawn Van Zant

Tsawwassen