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Nature

Firefighters grant dying forest ranger's final wish to visit the woods one last time

Firefighters grant dying forest ranger's final wish to visit the woods one last time
via Evergreen Hospice Volunteers / Facebook

Hospice nurses seem to come from the heavens. It's a job that requires a big heart, the strength to deal with death on a daily basis, and in-depth medical and nursing training.

Five years ago, Leigh Gardner performed a small miracle for a man that made one of his last days on Earth one of his best

Edward Reis, 62, was an ex-forest ranger with multiple sclerosis and had been in hospice care for years. His caregivers became a surrogate family for Reis who didn't have much family in the area.


A few weeks before his death, his chaplain Curt Huber asked him if he had any final wishes. Reis said he'd love to go back to the forest where he worked.

RELATED: 13 side-by-side portraits of people over 100 with their younger selves

Huber and Gardner, a nurse at Evergreen Health Hospice in Washington state, came together and created a plan that would allow Reis to make one last "walk" through the trees. The only problem was that Reis was bedridden and couldn't ride in a wheelchair, let alone walk through the forest.

So they contacted the Snohomish County Fire Department and they hopped into action.

The firefighters picked up Reis in a firetruck and took him to the lush forest of Puget Sound. They then rolled him on a gurney through the rocky terrain, stopping him by the creek so he could hear the water, and picking pieces of bark and putting it to his nose for one last inhale of one of his favorite scent.

"He was just smiling the whole time … saying he was so happy," Gardner told ABC News.

"The wheels of a gurney are like a shopping cart, so very small wheels on a trail -- and it wasn't like one of those little running trails at all, it was like a hiking trail ... and we would stop every so often and he would just sit and listen," Gardner continued. "And you know I went over to him and I said, 'Are you happy?' He's like, 'I'm so happy.'"

RELATED: New research shows that children who grow up near nature become happier adults

The trip to Puget Sound was therapeutic for the firefighters as well. The men had recently been in Oso, Washington recovering bodies from a landslide that killed 43 people.

"We saw a lot of bad things up there in Oslo, and this was a time to just watch somebody at the end of their life enjoy what they could," he said of Reis' trip. "It felt good inside to help him and to watch his face. The payment was in his expression when he was out there."

With his final wish granted, Reis passed away a few weeks later.

"We kind of were his family in the end," Gardner said, adding that she missed him. "For the first couple of weeks after he'd passed away I was like, 'It's so weird not going three times a week and working so hard to take care of him.' It felt a little odd. So I miss his presence and just, you know, he was a gentle, gentle soul."

One can be sure the forest misses him, too.


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All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

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A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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