WILD DAYS

You survived in the wilderness for 48 days without food or water. Where did you learn these survival skills?

I grew up in rural Saskatchewan. My mum spent about two-and-a-half years in and out of hospital and passed away from cervical cancer when I was seven. There are four of us girls in the family and I’m the second eldest. So, when she passed away, she also left behind my two younger sisters. My dad grew up hunting, fishing, and trapping and we never had a lot of money. So, when Mum died, we were like a ship at sea. She held everybody together in the family. A man who has just lost the love of his life, how can he now try to raise four girls on his own? And that was 27 years ago - there was no government or social support. He was on his own. My dad was also suffering from alcoholism and depression. He’d say, “Go out and fence the back yard to make sure the cows stay in.” So, at age 11, I’d go out by myself for the whole day with a jug of water and a sandwich and fence by myself. I