After ice storm ruined birthday plans, B.C. family threw 'storm party' instead
'A comedy of errors worked in our favour,' says grandpa
Rick and Kathy Rake wanted to fly their son and his family home from Quebec for the holidays as a Christmas gift.
It would be a special trip: Rake's granddaughter's first Christmas with her grandma, who is battling breast cancer, and there was a big party planned to celebrate their son's birthday at home in Mission, B.C.
But Steven, his wife and their 16-month-old daughter arrived from Gatineau on Dec. 28 — the same day an ice storm walloped the Fraser Valley.
The Rakes' home was one of over 130,000 to lose power and roads were laced with downed power lines and black ice. The family was stuck at home.
With party plans out the window, the family threw a "storm party" at home instead. No phones, no lights, no fuss — but Rake said the family will "never forget it."
"They saw the ice storm of the century," Rick said on Wednesday. "I've never seen so much damage in the 31 years I lived in Mission."
Stuck at home with no power, the first-time grandfather barbecued some extra chicken and got a wood-burning fire roaring in the fireplace to keep everyone warm. Everyone sang Happy Birthday while wind and emergency sirens wailed outside.
"People were smiling, laughing at what we could do to make up for what we could've had," Rake said.
The next day, an even better surprise: Kathy's oncologist announced that her tumour had shrunk by half after five rounds of chemo.
"It was a great gift to give the children, as well, to say 'Mum is going in the right direction,'" Rake said. "You couldn't write this stuff."
Power was restored at the Rakes' home after about a day and Steven and his family flew home before the new year.
With files from Tina Lovgreen