After a 1,200km walk Rance Cardinal arrived in Humboldt on May 27. While the walk may have ended part of his journey, it opened up another.
After walking from Sioux Lookout, Ont. to Humboldt over a span of nearly two months, Cardinal spent three days in Humboldt, playing street hockey, speaking at schools, and generally just enjoying the company of Humboldt residents.
“Everything’s gone way more than I expected. My word is ‘unreal’. It just shows how Humboldt is really humble and people here they have hearts of angels… My saying for Humboldt is ‘humble Humboldt, heart of angels’,” he said of his experiences.
He did not know a whole lot about the community, before coming to Humboldt, he admits, but after spending three days here, he leaves with a new appreciation of what Humboldt is.
“HumboldtStrong, for people that haven’t been here… you have to be in this community to see it and I’ve seen it. Everybody here is just so strong and they put the true meaning in HumboldtStrong. That’s where it should come from and that’s where, pretty much, it’s born. Born and raised HumboldtStrong from the community of Humboldt.”
Cardinal was also invited to speak at a number of local schools including Humboldt Public, Humboldt Collegiate, and even the late Dayna Brons’ alma mater at Lake Lenore to name a few.
He says those experiences were incredible, noting many were in the morning, which was a great way to start the day.
“Even being at the villa, it was truly expressing what you’ve gone through, through your life and on the journey, expressing that with other people and especially the kids… it really feeds the soul a lot, it really feeds my soul and just to be an inspiration to the young ones is heart warming.”
He says his message to the children, as well as every in Humboldt is to remember that life is short.
“Life is precious, live every moment like it’s your last and don’t live it fast.”
Cardinal waved his final goodbye to Humboldt on May 30, three days after arriving, and says he hopes they will remember him more as part of the family than as some celebrity.
Looking ahead, Cardinal made the long drive back home, where he has a newborn on the way shortly, but says it is never goodbye.
“We’ll be back and I’ll hopefully catch the first Broncos game.”
