Four Fraser Valley friends are doing a 71-kilometre hike and trail run on Friday (Sept. 18) in memory of a man who went missing earlier this month in Abbotsford and whose body was found three days later.
The four are all avid hikers who knew Brook Morrison, 26, whose disappearance on Sept. 1 led to extensive searches by the Abbotsford Police Department and Fraser Valley Search and Rescue.
Morrison’s body was found on the morning of Sept. 4 in an area off Straiton Road in Abbotsford. Police said foul play is not suspected.
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Participating in the hike on Friday will be retired firefighter Ted Vanasseldonk, 70, and home inspector Daniel Fedosenko, 47, of Abbotsford.
They will be joined by truck driver Coburn Black, 35, and his wife Erin, an office manager, from Langley.
The four all knew Morrison through the Fraser Valley hiking community. In 2018, Morrison completed the entire 4,270-kilometre Pacific Crest Trail, which spans from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington.
“He was a big inspiration to so many,” said Fedosenko, a home inspector.
The group will be doing a combination of power hiking and trail running along the Hudson Bay Brigade Trail, starting at 6 a.m. Friday.
The trail travels through the mountains from Hope to Tulameen, rising 4,000 metres in elevation.
They expect to complete the distance in about 24 hours, stopping only for short food and rest breaks, but not for sleep.
“We are doing this because we all love to inspire and motivate the community and people of all walks of life that, through getting outside, you can not only improve your health and fitness, but you can improve your mental health and build community,” Fedosenko said.
A GoFundMe campaign is raising money to cover Morrison’s funeral costs. The page can be found by searching “Go Fund Me for Brook Morrison” at gofundme.com.
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