Blind Paralympian teams up with scent-trailing dog to find missing people
SAANICH, B.C. — Long before Jessica Tuomela partnered with her dog on a life-saving mission, she was a kid who couldn’t be contained.
“I always wanted to challenge myself,” Jessica says. “And see how far I could push things.”
Although she couldn’t see — after being blinded by retina cancer when she was three — Jessica fearlessly pushed herself to accomplish all the things others said she couldn’t.
“I would get really good at achieving something,” Jessica laughs. “And then be like, ‘Cool! What’s next?!’”
But then Jessica turned 16 and realized there was a milestone she’d never reach.
“I was watching all my friends get their licenses, driving around with the windows open and the radio playing,” Jessica says. “It was really, really hard.”
It was an emotional blow that Jessica learned to overcome by making a positive choice.
“Find something that’s better,” Jessica advises, before laughing. “I got a guide dog!”
At the same time, Jessica was training to be the best swimmer she could. She competed in three Paralympic Games — and won silver — before choosing to up the ante and become a triathlete.
“Why do one sport when you can do three?” Jessica asks with a laugh.
Jessica had to not just learn to run for the first time, but do it in tandem with a sighted partner giving directions, before mastering how to cycle in tandem, too.
“Riding around the corner at 70 km/h feels so good!” Jessica smiles.
But then her second Paralympics as a triathlete was postponed by the pandemic, and Jessica started searching for a new challenge.
“I discovered discriminate scent trailing,” Jessica says. “And I was like, ‘Whoo!’”
So Jessica contacted the US-based ‘Scent Evidence K9’ and was teamed up with Lucy, a dog trained to search for missing people, before launching her own rescue company ‘True North K9’.
“It gets me to work with a dog, which I absolutely love. It also helps me help other people, which is another passion of mine,” Jessica says. “Why wouldn’t I do that?”
The dynamic duo’s skills were put to the test a few weeks ago, after an 89-year-old with dementia went missing. Jessica and Lucy searched for three kilometres before Lucy stopped on the other side of a forest and launched herself into a lake.
“I felt my heart just sank. Is this going to be a recovery?” Jessica recalls thinking. “We got into the water and then someone starts very happily talking to Lucy. Turns out it’s the right person.”
Jessica says the feeling of returning a person home safely has no comparison, not even winning on the world stage.
“Find what fuels you,” Jessica says. “And do it for the right reasons.”
And whether she’s inspiring athletes to overcome adversity, or offering the skills to find missing people, Jessica says the right reason for her is helping others.
“Leaving this world a better place is really important to me.” Jessica smiles.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.