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58TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSNOVEMBERDECEMBER2010thelastsleepofmylife.Justaftermidnightonourthirddaytherainactuallyletupslightlyandwewereencouraged.Butwequicklyrealizedthatitwasliketheeyeofahurricanejustabriefrespitefromthestorm.Otherperiodsoflighterrainfallcamebuttherewasstillnochanceofaplanelandingatthelakeonthatday.Telakecontinuedtoriseedgingeverclosertoourtentagain.Onceagainweforcedourselvestogetoutandmovethetentbackanotherfourtovefeettoescapetherisinglakewater.Alltogetherthelakerosesome10feetwhileweweretrapped.Tesoundsoftherushingwaterinthewaterfallsarounduswerenowthunderousblockingoutmanyofthegentlesoundswehadheardearlier.Tehoursinthetenttookatoll.Wegrewquietandhadlessandlessenergy.Evensittinguprightbecameimpossible.OurthoughtsturnedtomakingpeacewithGodandrememberingourfamiliesandfriendsandthinkingaboutwhatlifewouldbelikeforthemwhenweweregone.IneverpersonallybelievedIwouldeverndmyselfthinkingsuchdreadfulthoughtsbuttheywerecreepingin.Inowknowwhatismeantbythephrasex1cTesilencewasdeafening.x1dEachtimewemovedthetentweencounteredmoreimmovablerocks.Whenwetriedtoliedownwefelttheiredgesinourbackslegsheadsandthesidesofourbodies.TeclosestthingIhadtoapillowwasmysaturatedraincoat.GalenusedmywidewaderashispillowwhileMitchhadonlyhishands.THERESCUEBy130Fridayafternoonthecloudsbegantoliftandthestormletup.Aswehaddoneduringmostofthehourswehadbeentrappedwecontinuedtolistenforanysoundsofanairplaneorhelicopter.Atabout2p.m.weheardthedistantsoundsofanengine.OurguidesaidhecouldhearaplanebutGalenandIknewitwasnoplanebutaCoastGuardrescuehelicopter.Weranoutofthetentandontotheedgeofthelakeandbeganwavingatourrescuers.Tehelicopterhoveredoverthelakeforsometimewhileevaluatingthesituation.Itwascleartoboththerescuecrewandtousthattherewasnoplaceforthechoppertolandsooneoftheteamwasloweredtotheedgeofthelakebyacable.Iranovertogreethimandhesaidtheywouldnotleaveuntiltheyhadussafelyaboard.Icouldnx19tholdbackthetearsofjoyasJasonourCoastGuardrescuerandIraisedourhandsforacelebratoryhigh-ve.AlmostimmediatelyJasonwasbesiegedbybugs.Withonlyhisighthelmetonhewasbreathingtheminthroughhisnoseandspittingthemoutofhismouthwhilegettingbittenalloverhisface.Irantogetanextramosquitonetwhichhetoverhishelmet.Headvisedustogatherinasmallclearingjustbehindourtent.Weweregiven15minutestogatherourbelongingsandbeginourexituptothewaitinghelicopterviatherescuebasket.IdonotthinkIx19veeverfeltbetterthanwhenIsawGalengoupinthebasketandbetakeninbythecrewmenonboard.Nextweputinallofourgearanditwashoistedup.TenIclimbedintobefollowedbyMitch.Terearethosewhomightsaysucharidewouldbeliketheultimateamusementridebutformetherewasonlythethrillx14andreliefx14ofbeingrescued.Whenallofusweresafelyaboardweweresurprisedtondtheyhadlunchwaitingforus.AsItoldthecaptainitwasthebestin-ightmealIhadeverhad.WelaterfoundoutthattheCoastGuardhad17othercallsthedayofthestormsobecausewehadatleastx18somex19survivalgearwewereputloweronthelist.Onlybecauseourwivespressuredthelodgeandthelodgex19smanagementwasthewordnallygiventoanAlaskansenatorwhopersonallycalledtheCoastGuardbaseinJuneauforhelp.Tishelpedtogetthemonthestickandstresstheurgencyofourrescue.WeweretakenbacktoahelicopterbaseatSeward.Tefeelingoftouchingthedrygroundwasneversoexhilarating.Weweregivenhotco8eeandphonestocallourwivesinDenver.Putmildlyitwasanemotionalphonecall.AftermakingthecalltomywifeInoticedthatthehelicopterbasehadsweatersshirtscoatsandvestsforsale.Igrabbedtherstonethatlookedlikeitwouldtandboughtit.Iwillneverforgetthefeelingofpullingthatwarmdryvestontomystill-freezingbody.Weareallgratefultothepeoplewhoworkedhardbehindthescenesinordertobringusbacktosafety.Terewere16attemptstorescueusoverallbutallexceptthelastonemetweatherthatmadeitimpossibletoproceed.Iwasespeciallytouchedtondoutthattheotherthreeguidesatourlodgehadpreparedbackpackswithsurvivalgearandplannedtouseahigh-speedboattoreachtheedgeoftheoceanbelowus.TeywereplanningtohikeuptoourlakethroughthethickAlaskanbushbravingthehorribleweatherandthethreatofbearstoreachuswithfoodanddryclothing.Wewillalwaysbegrateful.Terearemanymorememoriesofthisexperiencethatwillneverbewrittendownbutwillalwaysbeinourmemories.MostofallGalenandIaresogratefultoourwivesHollyandKimwhokeptthepressureonthelodgeownerstomakesureweweretheirrstpriority.WecannotthankenoughthosemanyotherpeoplewhoprayedforourrescueandthoseintheCoastGuardwhocoordinatedandcarriedoutourrescue.IfwecarriedanythingoutwithusitisthedepthofourfaiththatGodwouldseeusthroughthiscrisisandmakeusevenstrongerinourfaith.TOBDaveTewksburyistheownerofTewksburyCo.aDenverColorado-basedlifestylestorethatspecializesincigarswinetobaccoandaccessories.x1cWeweregiven15minutestogatherourbelongingsandbeginourexituptothewaitinghelicopterviatherescuebasket.x1d58TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSNOVEMBERDECEMBER2010