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Kindness from total strangers is so overlooked, and although I have a few names, I do need to say a huge THANK YOU to all of the good Samaritans who stopped everything to help me when I slid down a five-foot cliff at Temperance River State Park on Wednesday, June 16, late morning.
I have hiked Temperance River Trails so many times. I have hiked all of the State park trails on the North Shore of Lake Superior and never have fallen or broken a bone, but for whatever reason, I missed my footing and started sliding down and down and down.
I was luckily able to walk back up to the ridge and just sat down to catch my breath.
In seconds, two families stopped to assess my physical state. Apparently, my right arm was bleeding profusely, not that I had even noticed.
These families pulled out water, first aid kits, towels, cleaned my wounds, added Neosporin and bandages, and sat with me for a while.
They offered to walk me back to the parking lot, but since I was probably 10 minutes away, I felt I could handle this.
They waited with me for about 20 minutes, and then we parted ways.
I made it safely back to the parking lot and drove seven miles into Tofte. I stopped at the gift shop next to the Coho Bakery and asked if there was a clinic in Tofte.
The friendly manager replied, “No, either Two Harbors or Grand Marais.”
He assessed my situation and then asked if he could drive me back to the municipal campground in Grand Marais.
I was blown away by his kindness but figured I could drive another 20 miles, and I did.
My husband, curious as to why I was back so soon, realized I needed medical attention NOW!
We spent six hours in the ER at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic and Hospital, and both the nurse and the doctor were so amazingly efficient, so kind and caring. They took every test in the book, from a brain scan to a CAT scan, x-rays, etc., and finally, at 7 p.m. I was officially discharged.
I hope that enough of the people involved in helping a total stranger will somehow manage to see this article.
There is always a silver lining, and mine was these incredibly kind strangers who put aside their agenda to help me.
Kindness is a gift!
Thank you again to all of you.
Just for the record, I am battered and bruised and a little worse for the wear, but suffered no permanent damage, just a slower pace for a few weeks.
God bless each and every one of you, sincerely,
Juliet Jones, Grand
Rapids, Minnesota
Editors note: Juliet is 73. Once she recovers, she will be back hiking one trail or another.
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