West Coast Trail hiker who lost eye on hike now fighting brain infection
The rugged West Coast Trail was a bucket-list hike that the father-son duo Ed and Bret Steinkamp had been planning for some time.
This year the pair got their wish, hiking the iconic path and discovering its challenges.
"It’s a gorgeous trail," said Bret."Mud that if you step in it you go up to your mid-calves."
On day three of the hike, to avoid an extra muddy section of the trail, Bret’s father decided to walk along the trunk of a fallen tree. That’s when he lost his footing, falling on a branch, sending it through his eye socket and lodging into this brain.
“It broke off in the fall and he stood back up right after,” said Bret. “He stood right back up and looked at us.”
Then Ed passed out.
A minute later he woke up with the roughly 14-inch stick poking out of his face.
Fortunately, it was then that some hikers came across the pair. They raced ahead and managed to find cell service where they called emergency services.
Hours later, rescuers arrived. Ed was lifted out of the trail and flown to Victoria General Hospital.
“They rushed him into operation and got the stick out,” said Bret.
With the stick now out, Ed has lost sight in his left eye but now faces more serious issues. It’s unclear if he will suffer lasting brain damage and his brain has a serious infection.
“There’s a potential that there’s still a small splinter or something back there that’s probably making it so the antibiotics aren’t working as well,” said Bret. “It’s just a good source to start the infection.”
Bret says his father is in stable condition and because of that, doctors don’t want to risk brain surgery.
“We decided to start a GoFundMe,” said Sue Lowe, a family friend and the organizer of the fundraiser.
Ed’s wife and Bret’s mother has now flown out from Texas to be with the family and the bills are adding up.
“The airfare, the car rental, everyone knows what gas is now, none of that will be covered,” said Lowe.
Because of Ed’s injury, he will not be able to fly home but instead the family will drive back to Dallas.
A full recovery will take months, if not years. But once it’s all over, Ed and Bret want to come back and finish the hike they started.
“The goal is to recover, get used to having only one eye, and then go back and do it again,” said the determined son.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.