I don’t normally do this, which may seem weird as an artist, but I used this piece to cope through a recent event that had a pretty big impact on me. 2 months ago I responded to an incredibly violent car accident that happened right in front of me as I was walking alongside the road. I happened to have my hiking/guiding backpack on me with everything I need for backcountry first aid.

A Park Ranger and another bystander also rushed over to help. We pulled 3 teens from the car. 2 of them had visibly life threatening injuries. One boy in particular who was holding a broken gear shift in his hand when I found him had a severe head injury that I just could not forget right away. He couldn’t remember if he had family or what his friends names were. I knew I’d just watched their young lives change perhaps forever.

When you witness things like this it’s such a striking reminder of our fragile existence here in this world. All it takes is a second of a bad decision or bad luck. When you’re an outdoor athlete you can sometimes wonder about the risks you’re taking on a regular basis and question if it’s wise to put yourself in this type of danger. But this happened in front country. Everyone is vulnerable. I’m in no more danger in backcountry than my worried family is driving to work.

This is a different tone than I usually approach with my art but I think this was important for me. You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again! Tell the people in your life how much you love them and be kind to the people you pass on the street. You have no idea what they could be enduring today. 💔