TARA LEE MACCUMBER

Condolences & Memories (1 entries)

• With the summer months approaching and still living at our house in the bush a story from last summer keeps on popping up in my thoughts when I think of all the good times and adventures we had over those 4 years. It was around this time last year when we set out with our chainsaws, chains, and truck to go cut up some firewood. Well me being the one that likes to check out new trails and explore she was never going to be the one to say we shouldn't go there. So we went there and ended up stuck and try as we did to get out it was getting dark so we stopped and went to sleep for the night. When we woke up it was evident that we were walking out of the bush but with our depleted water supply we needed to get home quickly as possible. Together we studied the map and figured if we walked straight north from our location it would only be about 1 mile through the bush off the trail so away we went. We didn't realize that the maps wasn't working that well and bush turned to swamp and at about 3 hours into our expedition I started to become a bit worried that out situation could get really bad really fast. So I'm leading us north on this sunny day seemed to be good but my mind wouldn't stop thinking I was going to lead us into something terrible and then the panic set in so I sat down to try and get myself calmed down but it got worse when I was having trouble breathing. Tara calmed me down by just talking to me and reassuring me that it was going to be ok and that I was doing a good job at guiding. Once she calmed me down enough after around a 10 minute break she stood up and with the energy of a teenager said "let's keep going were burning daylight". So away we went for another 9 hours we walked through the swamp and bush and never did she doubt that we were heading in the right direction. Well at the 11 hour mark the sun was starting to set and I decided to start building a shelter for the old night ahead which she wasn't too fond of but its what needed to happen. I didn't bring much but Tara had a knife so that's what I used and while I was gathering material she heard a dog bark in the distance but didn't say anything and 5 minutes after she heard it I could hear it as well. I told her what I heard and she told me the same thing g so civilization couldn't be far away so on we went to her delight. So we walked for about half mile or so and there in front of us was the rail that I knew I would eventually run into. It was raised about 5 feet in the air and was the only man made thing we'd seen since we left our truck early that morning. She hugged me and said I'm so happy I could cry but I'm so dehydrated nothing is coming out. I truly believe she saved me from a horrible outcome that day and is the only reason I'm telling this story here. I wish we could've wrote many more stories together I miss you everyday and will always love you for all the good you did for me. Until we meet again I love you Tara. - Posted by: Chris Bernier (Tara was the glue holding me together for 4 year's. She was my wife) on: May 30, 2023