WATCH: A Norwegian father is grateful to be spending time with his daughter in B.C. this week. Jeremy Hunka reports.
The father of a young snowboarder who was rescued after spending three nights on Whistler Blackcomb has made a donation to thank Whistler Search and Rescue for saving his daughter’s life.
“I can never pay back what they did,” says Knut Abrahamsen. “I’m so grateful and so impressed by their dedication and all they stuff they do for nothing, because they love the mountains and want to take care of people. It’s impossible to pay back or give enough gratitude to what they did.”
Twenty-year-old Norwegian Julie Abrahamsen had been vacationing in Whistler for all of January and staying in an apartment with other tourists. She didn’t return from Whistler Blackcomb on Jan. 21, and search crews were notified of her disappearance on Jan. 23.
In the early afternoon of Jan. 24, she was spotted by search and rescue crews in a helicopter. A short time later, she was back with her friends, suffering only from mild frostbite on her hands and bruises on her legs.
During her ordeal, she slept under rocks and trees in the Whistler backcountry, rationing a half container of pasta, hoping against all odds she would find a way back to her apartment.
“I think everyone can learn from this situation,” she says looking back at the rescue, which caused international headlines.
“After the accident, I understood that I was in so much more trouble than I thought. It’s a really dangerous area if you don’t know what you’re doing. There’s a lot of bad endings. Don’t take any risks and go with your friends, make a plan, know where you’re going.”
After Julie was rescued, Knut, who was in Norway while his daughter was missing, told media finding out his daughter was alive was the ‘most awesome second of his life.’
“We were in deep, deep, deep grief and panic about our little girl, knowing that she was out there in the mountains alone. We were praying and hoping she was alive, fearing that she was injured or even worse,” he said.
Some reports suggest Abrahamsen donated as much as $5,000 to Whistler SAR, but he would not confirm the exact amount to Global News.
“I heard it was a volunteer organization that didn’t get funding from the public,” Abrahamsen told Global News. “After what happened, I thought I should do something. I think they do a fantastic job, and I know they have a shortage of funds. People that are dedicated to search and rescue need help, so these great guys can continue their mission.”
Abrahamsen flew in from Norway to make the donation, and got to spend time with her daughter and members of Whistler Search and Rescue.
“Meeting the rescue guys was the most touching moment,” he said.
“We spent a couple hours discussing what happened. They’re not only great heroes, they’re warm people who treat us as friends and family.”
It was a heartwarming meeting for the Search and Rescue members as well.
“When we look for people, we find them, they go home and there is no relationship after unless they’re local people,” says Binty Massey, one of the two Search and Rescue volunteers in the helicopter that found Abrahamsen.
“To get to meet people and spend some time after and Julie’s father coming all the way over here, it’s great.”
Knut says Julie will stay in Whistler for the rest of the winter, and he is returning home next week, grateful in more ways than one.
“To come here after that means a lot,” said Knut.
“Seeing her, not just in pictures, and meeting all the great guys who rescued her…it means a lot.”