Watercure USA - March/April 2022

IN THE KNOW FOR for MAR/APR 2022

My Life-or-Death Encounter With ‘Quicksand’ NORTH TO ALASKA

This story is about a trip to Alaska — not by ship, however, but by car. It led to a real life-or-death situation when I was 14 years old. It happened in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness during summer vacation. While this long story requires some historical context, I promise the threat isn’t what you (or I at the time) may expect. My family has always been frugal. I didn’t see the inside of a restaurant until I was about 18 or 19 years old. Although both my parents worked full time, they saved meticulously for one goal: extended, adventurous road trip vacations. By the time Alaska had become a state in January 1959, my parents were bored because we’d already gone to Maine, Key West in Florida, Colorado, and Yellowstone — all from Buffalo, New York by car, and without many of the major interstate highways we have today. A trip to Alaska felt far more ambitious than any of those. So, my parents coordinated a six- week summer vacation where my family — myself, two brothers, our mom and dad — packed into a station wagon to go on the adventure of a lifetime. We left home in late July 1960. Leaving the lower 48 was mind-boggling because I knew how lucky I was to go on this trip. In some ways, it felt like it was meant to be. “North to Alaska” by Johnny Horton

happened to be a hit song at the time. (Although Johnny Horton must’ve added an “H” to the superior surname of Orton, I’m fairly confident we’re not related.) This was a time before cassette tapes and “road trip playlists,” but it was on the radio all the time. It became an instant family anthem, and we’d sing along anytime it played. It really captured the spirit that filled my heart, and I suggest you give it a listen — even as a background track to this story, if you’d prefer.

(If you have a smartphone, you can listen to it by hovering your phone camera over this QR code and clicking the link.)

Why does describing the ALCAN Highway matter? Well, it’s actually the story of its construction I’d like readers to keep in mind. Despite the famously treacherous conditions of the Alaskan wilderness, the ALCAN Highway was built in only eight months during World War II. “About 80 to 85% of my body was submerged at an angle, and even the back of my head was covered. Anytime I shifted my head a little bit, I could feel myself sinking deeper.”

Six weeks is a long departure from home, but it was right for the amount of driving we had planned. Just to reach the beginning of the ALCAN Highway (also known as the

Alaskan-Canadian or Alaska Highway), we needed to drive nearly 2,500 miles to reach a location in British Columbia, Canada, known as Dawson Creek. From there, the ALCAN Highway stretched nearly 1,600 miles, deep into mainland Alaska. Plus, most of the trip was spent on small, two-way roads with no markers or lights – it was highly unsafe to drive at night.

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After the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the capture of two Alaskan islands, our military had good reason to believe the Japanese would attempt to conquer and control Alaska. However, no one could easily transport heavy machinery or weapons into mainland Alaska, such as Fairbanks. It became paramount that a highway be built for faster transport. Over 11,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took part in the effort, and the completion of its early gravel roads were (rightfully) considered a major triumph. Nearly 18 years after its completion, our family was driving on the ALCAN. We’d passed the Alaskan border about 50 miles back when we had a mechanical breakdown. We were pulling a small trailer behind us, and one of the wheels was giving us problems. Thankfully, my parents understood the dangers of driving into Alaska. They had prepared two spare tires as well as plenty of extra food and supplies that’d become extremely important for the entire trip. We stopped in an area called Scotty’s Creek. It had a very large American- Canadian army depo and base where a lot of equipment and men were once stationed. But when we arrived, not much else was there. A trailer on a hill looked like it might serve food and had a couple living there, but that was it. Parking on the land cost money, and we had no choice but to pay. However, as a bonus, many other families had stopped because their vehicles were broken. It became an oasis for anyone that needed car assistance, and everyone helped each other. My dad was pretty mechanically inclined, so he spent time assisting people while waiting on repairs. There was nothing boring about this for me. I was very happy to be a helper bee and doing any little task I was assigned. At some point, my dad needed water to put into a car’s radiator. He gathered instructions about where to find a swamp and small pond just over a nearby hill, then he gave me two 5-gallon pails. “Go over that hill,” he said, “and get some water for us.” Full of ambition and excitement, my 14-year-old self wasn’t scared to face new surroundings, or to be completely out of sight from the distracted adults. I had plenty of experience with camping, anyway. I kept a wary eye out for wooly mammoths, sabretooth tigers, maybe a grizzly bear, and whatever else my childlike imagination could conjure. I noticed the hillside was very grassy as I dashed down the hillside toward the swamp. I suddenly encountered a thick carpet of green mold. I slowed down, since I didn’t want to fall, but as I traversed, the mold broke. Adrenaline kicked in almost immediately. I fell into thick, muddy quicksand, and I was sinking. Without any branches or proper leverage nearby, it could’ve been seconds before I’d sink far enough to suffocate and disappear. As if my mind had pushed an emergency button, I’d suddenly remembered advice my father had given years ago. He once said, “If you ever fall into quicksand, don’t start struggling. You need to get as much of your back on top of it as you can. Shift your weight so you can support your back.” So, I quickly threw myself on my back.

It saved my life, but it didn’t make the situation less grave. About 80 to 85% of my body was submerged at an angle, and even the back of my head was covered. Anytime I shifted my head a little bit, I could feel myself sinking deeper. I knew I had to paddle somehow, so, as an adept swimmer, I kept doing a backstroke without lifting my hands too far. I’d passed a tree at one point, so I thought I might be able to grab one of its branches and pull myself out — even though I couldn’t lift my head at all to judge the distance or my course. I became extremely focused on moving as slowly as possible. My dad and the other men were engaged and preoccupied with work, so my absence wasn’t thought of as unusual. It took a long time, but eventually, I was able to pull myself out of the bog. No one noticed when I came back over the hill without my pails. I began walking toward my father and the crowd of chatting adults. By the time I was 30 feet from them, suddenly everyone stopped working and looked at me. Nobody even spoke. Some stood and tucked in their heads as they stared at me. I was very confused! The best way to explain it is that they looked at me — not trying to decipher who I was, but what I was. It was as if I’d walked there from another planet.

Then my dad, realizing it was me, called out, “What happened?”

“I fell into quicksand,” I said. Suddenly, all of the men started talking at the same time, crying out in disbelief and at the horrible smell. I became even more confused. I had no indication that the mud wasn’t quicksand. My adrenaline-driven instincts must’ve told me, “You just survived a life- threatening situation. You’re lucky to be breathing, so there’s no need to worry about having a sense of smell.” But, at that moment, I began to smell again — and I smelled quite putrid. As it turned out, I hadn’t fallen into quicksand. I’d fallen into a giant latrine that’d been used during the war by all the soldiers building the ALCAN Highway. There was simply no structure built over the latrine anymore, and there were no markings either. With some assistance in finding the actual swamp, I was quickly (and safely) bathed. That memory eventually helped me set swimming records in my college years, but I think my mother also used that story to chase off my then-girlfriends! And the tale continues in infamy within the family today — my son, Drew, insisted that I share it in the newsletter. Although this may sound like a traumatic memory, for me, it was extremely educational, and I was happy to come out of it alive. Still, to this day, there’s no words in the English language that could accurately describe the smell. (I asked our newsletter team if we could include a scratch-n-sniff but was politely declined. Go figure.)

–Captain Lance

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LANCE: 716-912-9939

DREW: 716-946-3598

Watercure USA’s Hall of Fame How Erin Brockovich Became a Legend

ONE-PAN CHICKEN TACOS Inspired by TasteOfHome.com

This recipe from TikTok user @violet.cooks almost broke the internet — and you’ll see why! The fried tortillas make it out-of-this-world delicious.

The fight for clean water starts at home – and nobody realized that sooner, and subsequently fought harder for, than Erin Brockovich. Her contributions to water advocacy make all of us a little prouder of what we do. We thought we’d share her real, gutsy story (which doesn’t stray far from the Academy Award-winning film, “Erin Brockovich”).

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken

• 2 tbsp chipotle powder • Canola oil (for frying) • Corn tortillas • Grated cheddar cheese • Pico de gallo and guacamole salsa (to taste)

breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tbsp garlic powder • 2 tbsp cumin

Living in Hinkley, California, Erin Brockovich was a beauty pageant winner with two kids. but single, and desperate for money. She’d worked as a secretary at her second ex-husband’s brokerage firm, but it wasn’t until she was seriously injured that she’d meet Ed Masry, a lawyer who changed the course of both their lives.

Directions 1. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces, garlic powder, cumin, and chipotle powder. Mix until the chicken is coated. 2. In a frying pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken mixture. Cook on medium heat for 5–8 minutes. 3. Remove the chicken from the pan, and add the corn tortillas (avoid overlapping) so they soak up the juices. Flip the tortillas and repeat. Then, add chicken and grated cheddar to each tortilla and fold it over the filling — in the pan. 4. Cook the tacos for 3 minutes per side until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted. 5. Top with pico and guacamole salsa, and serve!

Masry’s firm, Masry & Vititoe, represented Erin in her personal injury claim, and they won a small settlement. However, Erin still needed a job — and with a little legal experience and a little persistence, she was hired onto their firm as a file clerk.

While organizing papers for a pro bono real estate case, Erin found medical records that exploded into the largest direct-action lawsuit in U.S. history.

As it turned out, for over 30 years, Pacific Gas & Electric had been poisoning Hinkley’s water. They knew they were leaking a harmful chemical known as chromium-6 into the groundwater and also knew that it was affecting the health of the town’s population. Yet, nothing was being done about it. What would it take to convince a nearly $100 billion net worth company to change course? It was hard, but Erin didn’t just expose her town’s water poisoning. She did it with an incredible people-centric and vibrant attitude that continues to inspire legal practices today. After years of work, the mass tort lawsuit settled in 1996 for over $333 million in damages to more than 600 Hinkley residents. Erin’s unique story and accomplished incredible legal research became legendary in the industry — and it even attracted the attention of Steven Soderbergh (“Ocean’s Eleven,” and “Magic Mike”). The film won over both mainstream and critical audiences. Erin Brockovich, thank you for fighting as hard as you did for your fellow Americans. It took a lot of guts, but you finally turned water into a household topic.

The Good News

“He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:21

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INSIDE This Issue

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My Deadly Alaska Story

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A Tribute to Erin Brockovich

One-Pan Chicken Tacos

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A Heroic Dog Saves Her Owner

She Saved Her Human! Meet Tinsley, a Car Crash Survivor

On Jan. 3, 2022, New Hampshire State Police responded to a call about a lone dog wandering around on the interstate near Veterans Memorial Bridge. When they got there, the pup — a Shiloh shepherd named Tinsley — led the officers on what seemed to be a wild goose chase. “When Trooper Sandberg and the Lebanon police officers attempted to get close to the canine, it continued to run northbound on Interstate 89, crossing into Vermont,” the police department wrote in a Facebook post. “A short time later, Trooper Sandberg and the Lebanon police officers located a damaged section of guardrail near the Interstate 91 and Interstate 89 junction.”

Tinsley is a real hero on four legs, just like Lassie, a fictional pup who saved two little boys from dying of hypothermia in the snow. Fortunately, Tinsley’s

grateful owner, Cam, made a full recovery. He also knows just how special his pup is.

It turns out Tinsley had a destination in mind: an upside-down pickup truck that had crashed through that very guardrail.

“She gets spoiled all the time,” he told the WPTZ news station. “She’ll get some venison, probably [a] burger tonight, and probably some back scratches with it.” Tinsley is not the only dog who has saved a human from the cold. In the winter of 2017, a rescue pooch named Peanut saved the life of a 3-year- old girl in Michigan who had wandered away from home, and a golden retriever named Kelsey saved her owner after he slipped in the snow and broke his neck. She kept him warm for 19 hours and barked until help came. To read the full story of Tinsley’s roadside rescue, visit CNN. com and search “real-life Lassie.”

The truck had rolled off the highway, and the people who were inside — including Tinsley’s owner, Cam Laundry — were on the ground, badly hurt and hypothermic! Thanks to Tinsley’s bravery, the cops called an ambulance that rushed them to the hospital. “This was almost like a real-life Lassie situation,” one lieutenant told CNN. “It’s really quite remarkable. This dog definitely saved their lives. I don’t think they would have survived the night given the temperatures.”

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DREW: 716-946-3598

LANCE: 716-912-9939