If you have been an outdoorsy person in the Campbell River area, it may be likely that you have crossed paths with Rick King.
An avid outdoorsman, his son Brian adds that their family has been in the area for over 30 years and his dad has been involved in the community since then.
“Pretty much since we got here my dad was involved in scouting as a leader, training leaders and that sort of thing,” Brian said.
“He was with the Campbell River Search and Rescue for many years. He worked with them while they were developing their high-angle rescue processes as well as the unique long lining that they do here in town.”
Brian’s mother has also been involved in many different causes, including helping grandmothers in Africa by riding bicycles to raise money.
Growing up, their family spent many weekends and vacations in the bush. They have done the West Coast Trail, North Coast Trail, Cape Scott and Mount Albert Edward multiple times.
King is approaching 70 years old, and the weekend following a family trip to the North Coast Trail his life would change forever in a mountain biking accident.
While mountain biking in nearby Cumberland with a friend in September, King went over a drop feature too quickly, going over his handlebars at the bottom. The resulting crash damaged his spine from C3 to C7, leaving him paralyzed instantly.
“His friend after waiting for a few minutes at the end of the trail headed back up and found him paralyzed at the bottom,” said Brian. “Cumberland Fire Department ended up coming up and carried him out on a special dolly.”
Brian says he was immediately flown to Vancouver, where he underwent surgery to stabilize his spine and do a tracheotomy due to the severe damage to his neck that controls his breathing.
“For the first couple weeks he couldn’t talk to us, we pretty much had to use sign language and lip read. It was a very frustrating time,” said Brian.
“My mother was fortunately able to go over and stay at a friend’s house while he went through the ICU and then up to the spinal ward of the Vancouver hospital.”
King is now at the GF Strong and people are working with him to help aid his rehabilitation.
The drastic change in life means that Brian’s mother is now looking to move into a home that is more wheelchair friendly, learn how to use the lifts and special equipment and work with trachea tubes.
Brian adds they are hoping he will be well enough to come home soon and his dad is still retaining an excitement for life, even though he will not be able to do all the things he once did.
“He’s trying to find a wheelchair so that he can go enjoy Beaver Lodge and other fairly easy trails and logging roads in the area,” said Brian. “We’re hoping to get them a vehicle where they’ll be able to transport them around so they can take him out to the woods.”
The family has organized a GoFundMe to help them through the transition period and buy all the necessary equipment to facilitate the new circumstances. A link to donate can be found here.
“My dad from day one has been very much ‘well that happened, let’s move on to the next thing’,” said Brian. “There’s obviously days when it’s very tough for him and we’re just trying to make things a little bit easier so he can come home and have a little more of life than just going to a care home.
“He’s still very sharp in the mind and very eager. He still wants to do all his hobbies, build guitars, hike and do all the things he did before but we’re going to have to make adjustments.”
Brian thanks everyone who has already contributed and for all the kind wishes from those whom his dad has touched over the years.
