Ryan Thompson arrived home from Fort McMurray Saturday. He spent the last four years working out west where he operated a hydrovac truck. He fled home to Fredericton to be with his wife and children when the fires broke out.
Thompson says he’s happy to be home.
“I’m feeling relieved- that’s the biggest thing,” said Thompson.
He told Global News he didn’t fear for his life, but was prepared for anything.
“Where we parked we had the river so I was thinking ‘if things get really bad we’ll just jump in the river and hopefully go from there and not die from hypothermia cause it’s still pretty cold,” said Thompson.
Thompson says to put it into perspective, it would be like evacuating the city of Fredericton down the Vanier highway, with only one way in and one way out.
“The fire itself would have been like sitting on the north side of Fredericton and then just watching the whole south side on fire and propane tanks blowing up and gas stations blowing up,” said Thompson.
He made it home to his family after a 54-hour drive with a colleague. He said he only brought home what he was wearing, along with his lunch box.
Thompson’s mother-in-law Margaret Demerson says she’s happy to have him home, and was relieved when she saw his things hanging in the hallway.
“I didn’t see him until the next morning, but I knew he was here because his boots were down at the door and his big coverall and his lunch box were all down by the door, so I knew he was home,” said Demerson.
“I’d really been thinking about coming home for the summer anyway to be with family, but this really made the decision a lot easier,” said Thompson.
Despite losing everything in the apartment he’d been renting in Beacon Hill, he’s still optimistic about the future.
“I was off to a job interview and start work here in New Brunswick on Monday,” said Thompson.
Thompson says he’ll be starting a job doing something he’s always enjoyed.
“One of my first jobs in Fort McMurray was paving, so it’s going to be fun to be paving again,” said Thompson.
He said coming home to his wife was like their wedding day all over again, and he’s got a new outlook on life.
“You really learn to appreciate love and friendship and being together,” said Thompson.