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Saddle Lake man walking from Ontario to Humboldt

It started with a Winnipeg Jets game, and it's ending with a 1,200 kilometre journey across three provinces. Rance Cardinal of Saddle Lake is walking from his current home, Lac Seul First Nation in Sioux Lookout, Ont. to Humboldt, Sask.
Rance Cardinal
Rance Cardinal shows off his sign and Broncos cap somewhere along his journey to Humboldt.

It started with a Winnipeg Jets game, and it's ending with a 1,200 kilometre journey across three provinces.

Rance Cardinal of Saddle Lake is walking from his current home, Lac Seul First Nation in Sioux Lookout, Ont. to Humboldt, Sask., to honour the 16 victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

"I was at the Jets game with an original sign saying 'I want to be on TV.' Just before the game we turned on the T.V and that's all you see is the news of the crash, and it really hit me hard. As a former junior hockey player and as a father," Cardinal said, speaking with the Journal.

The Jets played the Chicago Blackhawks the night after the crash.

Cardinal played 60 games over three seasons for the Saddle Lake Warriors in the NEAJBHL, most recently playing two games in 2014-15. After hearing the tragic news, Cardinal didn't feel right with his sign saying he wanted to be on TV. So, he flipped it over and wrote 'Humboldt Strong' on the other side. He ended up on the Jumbotron.

"On the way back, I told my uncle 'We got to get this sign to Humboldt.' I asked him 'What would you do If I walked there?' He gave me a different look. It wasn't a look of doubt, it was a look of pride and he said he'd support me."

The 24-year-old says they mulled it over for the next couple of days, spending that time figuring out logistics. Finally, on April 11 at 9 a.m sharp, he took his first steps toward Saskatchewan.

Redemption

Cardinal moved from Saddle Lake to Lac Seul First Nation three years ago, after a difficult stretch in life.

"After losing my brother, I was really on the down end of life. I was losing it. I was doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and I was suicidal," he said.

"This walk is a time for healing for this town to give them hope and support. This is a time of healing for me too, to get my life back. To get Rance Cardinal back."

Rance says his brother Rayton died of an illness.

"When he passed on, I took it the wrong way. Usually when something like that happens it should be a wake up call in life, right? But I took it the wrong way."

Cardinal hopes to find himself along the way, with two young children, a two-year old daughter Liliana and 15-month-old son Raydence, waiting for him back at home. He has a third child due this summer.

The Trek

Taking the Trans Canada Highway throughout the trip, Cardinal was 10 days into the walk and just outside of Falcon Lake, Manitoba, when the Journal spoke with him. He was 300 km away from Sioux Lookout, and still had over 800km to go to before he would reach Humboldt.

Some members of his family follow close behind in a van, and post updates on a rapidly growing Facebook group. People from all over are posting messages of support, with some even offering to buy him running shoes and donating money to help along the way.

"I honestly didn't expect it to get this big. All I wanted to do is show my support. But with all this help, I'm going to get there. I'm going to get to Humboldt."

Each day begins with a photo or a Facebook Live video of Cardinal starting off from the same spot he left the day before. He marks the end and beginning points with a red bow.

The woman behind the camera is often his aunt, Shanna Jacobs. She along with her husband and Cardinal's other aunt are in the van following him.

"I was taken aback. I felt really happy that he would do something like this," Jacobs said when Cardinal first mentioned the idea.

Step by step, Cardinal marches on in his blue Patrick Laine Jets jersey, carrying a hockey stick, and often beginning the day listening to Metallica, his favourite band, to get himself fired up. His goal is to fire out 40 km a day. Sometimes he shoots for 50km if he's feeling good. Even after 10 days, his enthusiasm hadn't wavered.

"I'm pumped up. Every stop we have it's like 'I gotta get going.' I pretty much take it mile by mile, step by step to make every one count," Cardinal said.

Surely, after walking almost a full marathon a day takes a toll on the body, but Cardinal says after a while he doesn't feel anything.

"When you keep going and going, you don't really feel it. From day one to day three I was just getting blisters and pretty much breaking my feet in. Now my legs are getting stronger and now at day 10, it's all going smoothly."

Cardinal says he didn't train for the walk, but he remains active playing beer league hockey, and he accredits a Bold Eagle Course in Wainwright, Alta. he took in Grade 11 for his mental toughness.

"It's a Basic Military Qualification course, and that pretty much opened up my life. It made me stronger and gave me that mind over matter (mentality)," he explained.

He took day seven off in Kenora, Ont. and planned another day or two off when he reached Winnipeg.

Eating on the hike usually consists of what's in his travelling gear or the van. Although sometimes they'll stop at a restaurant after a few good hours of walking.

"Sometimes I even get food on the road with people dropping off like goodies and water, so I drop them off with the family in the van and I'll eat them later."

When he does finally reach Humboldt, Cardinal says he is heading straight to the hub of the town.

"I'm going straight to the arena. That's where all the energy is," Cardinal excitedly said.

He still might have a long way to go, but nothing is getting in his way.

"I recently came up with this saying not too long ago. The time will be ticking, but as long as I'm kicking, I'll get to Humboldt. Safe, not soon."

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