Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Outdoorsman David Hatto is canoeing down the Saskatchewan River in support of Hazel’s Heroes, a society that provides retreats for grieving parents who have lost infants.
The 1,450-kilometre journey begins at Rocky Mountain House on June 2 and ends at Cumberland House, Sask.
Hazel’s Heroes was started by Hatto’s daughter-in-law, Gillian, after her three-month-old granddaughter, Hazel, had passed away unexpectedly in 2014 from sudden unexplained infant death.
The goal of the retreats to Kananaskis is to provide a space for bereaved parents to heal, honour their children and help other parents going through a similar experience.
“As a grandparent and as the father of Hazel’s dad, you’re feeling the loss; you don’t know what to do or how you can help,” Hatto said.
“With most males, the reaction to anything is either fight or flight, and you can’t run away from the death of a grandchild, so when Gill started her society, I knew how I could fight.”
To help financially support these retreats, Hatto has gone on a number of outdoor excursions.
So far, Hatto has completed the South West Coast Path, paddled the River Thames, paddled the Bowron Lakes Circuit and hiked two short hikes on the Athabasca Pass trail.
Last year, Hatto wanted to walk with his brother in Tuscany, but these plans were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year, I decided – with COVID hanging over my head – I would do a solo trip down the North Saskatchewan (River) and then the Saskatchewan River to raise awareness and to raise funds for Gill,” Hatto said.
One of the reasons that Hatto chose this route was because he was an admirer of David Thompson, an explorer, fur trader and mapmaker.
As such, the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum will also follow Hatto’s voyage and provide information about David Thompson as the journey progresses.
The 28-day trip will be unassisted and self-sufficient, and as an experienced paddler, Hatto’s main difficulty will be finding a place to camp every night since he will be travelling through areas without regular campsites.
Hatto has solicited multiple sponsors, including local businesses such as TGP, Pharmasave Jasper, Home Hardware and Pure Outdoors.
Sponsors provided in-kind donations for the expedition.
Hatto added that the launch of his trip also marks his 78th birthday, noting that he has had no major health issues since starting his fundraising excursions.
“I’m finally getting a little bit smarter, and I’ve decided that this will be my last really major one,” he said.
“It’s not that I won’t be doing more. I just won’t be doing anything quite as crazy as this.”
To follow Hatto on his trip or to donate, go to www.facebook.com/HazelsHelper or www.hazels-helper.com
UPDATE: The GoFundMe page is no longer functioning. Visit www.hazels-helper.com to donate.
