Canadian ranger drives American family more than 1,000 miles to the Alaska border after they became stranded in a snowstorm
A Canadian man drove an American family more than 1,000 miles through a snowstorm after they became stranded on their way to Alaska.
Lynn Marchessault, her children, Payton, 13, and Rebecca, 10, along with their two dogs and a cat, hit the road from Georgia to Alaska in November after their trip had been pushed back a few months due to coronavirus restrictions in Canada.
Marchessault told CNN that she waited for months for the travel documents that would allow her to drive from Georgia, through Canada and up to Alaska.
Eventually getting those documents in November, the family set out on the cross-country adventure to reunite with Marchessault's husband, Tim, who is an Army staff sergeant stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Gary Bath (second from left), of Canada, drove American family, Lynn Marchessault (third from left), her son, Payton, (third from right) and daughter, Rebecca (second from right) more than 1,000 miles through a snowstorm to get to Marchessault's husband, Tim (right), in Alaska
Marchessault and her family began their journey in Georgia, but it's unclear exactly what route they took to get to the Saskatchewan border. From there they traveled to Wonowon, British Columbia, where they became stranded before getting help from Ranger Bath
Marchessault shared much of the story behind the trip in a lengthy Facebook post on November 28
Marchessault told CNN that the first 3,000 miles of the trip went well as they traveled in a new 4x4 truck that could handle Alaska winters while pulling a U-Haul packed with their belongings.
Once they entered Canada through the province of Saskatchewan, border authorities warned Marchessault to stop only when necessary and told them they had five days to get to the US border in Alaska.
Marchessault wrote out the rules she was told by border authorities in a November 28 Facebook post: 'You only have 5 days to get through Canada and you are absolutely NOT allowed to deviate from the main route or go inside anywhere to done. You are not even allowed to dine at the hotel. You must get your food and go back to your room. These rules are for those who are transitioning through Canada to another final destination.'
But the weather only got worse as they drove toward Alaska.
At some point, Marchessault ran into snow and eventually encountered white-out conditions, ran out of windshield wiping fluid and her tires seemed to be losing traction, forcing her to pull over at a gas station near Wonowon, British Columbia, according to her Facebook post.
She recalled how she was 'a nervous wreck' by the time she pulled over.
'I was crying at this point - and a woman came out of the gas station,' Marchessault explained.
The woman asked if she was okay and Marchessault recalled how she told the woman her entire story.
According to her Facebook post, Marchessault believed she had all weather tires on her 4x4, but the woman informed her that they were summer tires.
'It was Sunday but she offered to help me. She took me to a tire shop,' Marchessault said, adding that her tires were changed right away.
Despite having reliable tires, Marchessault said she 'threw in the towel' and was done with driving.
'I told my husband: Border patrol can just come and get us where we are. That's the only way we're leaving Canada at this point,' she told CNN.
But good Samaritans in the area put out a plea on Facebook for someone to drive the family 1,056 miles to the Alaska border, where Marchessault's husband would be waiting.
Marchessault is pictured with her husband, who met them at the Alaskan border, and their daughter in the background
The Bath and Marchessault families both met online during a video chat and decided that they plan was a go
'He was a great driver. Very safe. We chatted a lot the entire drive. Which took us almost 3 days. We talked a lot about military, family, different holidays and lots more. We got along like old friends,' Marchessault wrote
A driver familiar with the Alaska Highway could make the trip in about two days, and time was running out for the family who was given only five days to get to the border.
That's where Gary Bath, a ranger who trains members of the Canadian military to survive the Arctic, came in.
He told CNN that he saw his friend's post about the family on Facebook and spoke to his wife before reaching out to help them.
The Bath and Marchessault families both met online and decided that their plan was a go.
Bath then met them at the motel where they stayed the night.
'Btw... yes I know the choice I made was a risky one. I had to decide if my kids were safer in my hands or in the hands of a kind stranger who had experience driving in this weather. I am a pretty good judge of character usually and I felt in my heart from the time communication for this process started, that these were good, caring, genuine people,' Marchessault wrote on Facebook.
'We talked on the phone, I was able to video chat with them via messenger on WiFi and they were communicating with my husband also. Gary’s wife and daughter even dug out winter jackets for us and brought with them. Ours were already here in Alaska,' she added.
According to Marchessault, it was Bath's first time going to the Yukon as well.
'He was a great driver. Very safe. We chatted a lot the entire drive. Which took us almost 3 days. We talked a lot about military, family, different holidays and lots more. We got along like old friends,' she wrote on Facebook.
'I still had some anxiety some times due to the roads and conditions. I would glance over and he would just be driving along like a champ. I would make a joke about how I had enough anxiety and sweaty palms for the both of us, over here in the passenger seat and he would chuckle.
'So I’d say we definitely had a very pleasant drive and we are so grateful for Gary and the community that brought us together for this adventure,' she added.
During the drive, the group did suffer a blown tire, but Bath was able to quickly fix it.
He also agreed that he and Marchessault had some things in common, one being that: 'We both have military experience so we talked about military life... and Lynn and I found out we are both weird and like the MRE's - the military food.'
The group went their separate ways at the Canadian border and even took a photo as they reunited with Marchessault's husband.
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