Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

HELPING AVERT A TRAGEDY – Mike and Elayne House, seen Thursday in Whitehorse, played pivotal roles in saving the life of a woman who was left trapped in her car after it rolled over an embankment near Twin Lakes last week.

Bear was near woman pinned in her car

Three weeks ago, Mike and Elayne House met Gail Tulk for the first time.

By Chuck Tobin on July 18, 2014

Three weeks ago, Mike and Elayne House met Gail Tulk for the first time.

Their daughter Sarah was out of town, so they were assisting in the sale of her food truck to the resident of Carmacks.

Last Friday, they played an instrumental role in saving the life of Tulk’s mother, who is currently in hospital but out of critical condition.

Christina Tulk was returning home to Carmacks with a load of supplies for the food truck, when her four-door compact car left the road in a construction zone near Twin Lakes and rolled down an embankment at around midnight.

There in the bottom of the ditch she remained pinned in her upside down vehicle for hours, at times hearing what she thought to be a bear.

It was shortly after 6 a.m. when Thomas Moore of Norcope Enterprises drove by in his transport truck.

Moore had been chatting on the radio with Mike House, who was not far behind, piloting an oversized load with wife Elayne, who owns Certified Pilot Car.

Mike was driving in front of the load, with Elayne in the rear. Another transport truck in their convoy was behind with a regular load.

Moore radioed back to House to say he thought he had just seen an overturned vehicle in the ditch, and perhaps some fresh tracks leaving the highway.

“Moore would have stopped and turned around, but we gave him the assurance we were going to stop,” House said in an interview Thursday.

“We gave him the assurance we were only a minute behind, and under no circumstances would we proceed until we inspected the area and the car to see if the accident was fresh.”

House, even knowing where to look because of Moore’s instructions, didn’t see the car in the ditch.

But Elayne did. Mike’s still not sure how, given the location of the vehicle and the fact it was upside down.

“When a vehicle is upside down like that, it looks just like the ground.”

As Elayne paused on the bank wondering whether to go down to the vehicle or stay up top to maintain radio communications with Mike, she thought she heard a quiet voice coming from the vehicle.

Clyde Carngey, the driver of the second truck, arrived quickly.

“Clyde went down and said there was a woman inside and she was alive, and that is when Elayne radioed me and we got the ball rolling.”

Mike put out a 911 distress call on the radio channel used only by truckers, asking any drivers within cell distance of a community to notify police and emergency personnel.

He then switched to his amateur radio and raised Yukon Amateur Radio Association member Ray Fugard in Whitehorse.

The pilot car crew relayed the state of affairs at the accident scene with the ham radio, describing the condition of the driver, and the likelihood mechanical equipment would be needed to free the woman.

“I was able to relay all that stuff back to emergency personnel through Ray Fugard, so everybody that was coming out knew the whole situation,” he said. “I think it helped the rescue.”

As it turned out, said Mike, just ahead of Fugard’s call to 911, emergency personnel had already been notified by a trucker who had heard House’s request over the trucker’s frequency.

Mike said an Alaskan infantryman skilled in first aid from Alaska arrived on the scene and provided assistance.

Indeed, they did see a black bear in the area.

Within minutes of the emergency call, Carmacks RCMP Const. Jon Dixon also arrived.

The officer was already out looking for Christina Tulk, as he had received a phone call from her daughter at 2 a.m. reporting her mother overdue.

Being very familiar with the Klondike Highway, Dixon decided to drive the entire route to Whitehorse, and was on his way back when the emergency call came in.

In fact, he was was at kilometre 298, and the accident scene was at kilometre 305.

House said with the arrival of the RCMP officer and with the ambulance en route from Carmacks, they thought it best to get going and get their trucks out of the way, so they didn’t see the rest of the rescue.

But it was a tough one.

Dixon said his wife, Jenna, a qualified paramedic, happened to be heading into Whitehorse for a shift when she pulled over at the scene.

“I told her she was going to be late for work,” the officer said an in interview Thursday.

“Jenna and I agree it was the most complicated extraction we have ever been a part of. It was two-plus hours to get her out.”

Dixon said it’s kudos all the way around for all those who assisted, from the nurse and volunteer ambulance staff who arrived from Carmacks; the community’s search and rescue team who brought the jaws of life; the three firefighters from Yukon Wildland Fire Management who were on their way into Whitehorse from Carmacks; the Alaskan infantryman; the pilot car crew and the Norcope truck driver.

Dixon led the ambulance to a long straight stretch about four kilometres away from the accident scene, so that he could safely stop traffic in both directions and allow the air ambulance to land.

Tulk was flown to Whitehorse and was in critical condition for some time, but not anymore. She’s expected to be released next week, a hospital spokeswoman said this morning.

Dixon said he’s told Tulk he’s going to show her pictures of the scene when she gets back to Carmacks.

As much as it must have been a nightmare for her, he wants Tulk to also remember it as day of good luck.

Her vehicle, the officer said, stopped a foot to 18 inches from going over another steep embankment, held up by a small tree.

Had she gone over that, there’s a good possibility she would not have been found.

Dixon said the cause of the accident remains unknown, as all Tulk remembers is seeing dust cloud ahead along the stretch of loose gravel before she missed the turn.

Mike said her daughter Gail called him and Elayne on Thursday to express her appreciation, and her bewilderment: three weeks ago, she’s buying a food truck from somebody she’s never met before, and three weeks later, she’s calling to thank the same people for helping save her mom’s life.

“She told me she thinks it was a little more than just coincidence,” House said.

“Call it what you will.”

Comments (4)

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Carolle Nilson on Jan 8, 2020 at 6:16 pm

Thank God my cousin Christine survived an incredible ordeal, thanks to many rescuers, blessings to all of you.
Carolle

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H. Sims on Jul 23, 2014 at 6:50 pm

We were the couple from Alaska/Texas that came upon this wreck and stayed until the ambulance arrived. It was difficult to leave not knowing, but we continued on our drive to the lower 48 and EVERY single day we thought about Christina and wondered how she was doing. It has worried us over the last weeks. We are beyond thrilled to learn she is doing so well! Jon and Jenna Dixon were the nicest people and so professional while working the accident. All the best to Christina and a speedy recovery . . . so happy you are on the mend.

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Ron on Jul 22, 2014 at 7:55 pm

Excellent effort by Mike (VY1WH) and Elaine and Ray (VY1RF) in Whitehorse in the successful rescue of the woman in the overturned car, on the North Klondike Highway.
"Amateur Radio....when all else fails."
Thanks to all who assisted in the rescue...we are fortunate to live in Yukon
Ron VY1RM
VP
Yukon Amateur Radio association

Up 20 Down 5

Gary Vermette on Jul 19, 2014 at 10:31 am

There are no such things as coincidences. God led all these people to one spot for a purpose. Thank you for all who prayed for my younger sister. Your prayers were answered.

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