New book explores how to embrace life after loss

Few events in life are as painful as the death of a spouse. The new book, Climbing Out: An Adventure in Rediscovering Life after Loss, is the true story of a Canadian woman trying to cope with the sudden death of her husband.

Good friends Robin L. Flanigan and Bonnie Thies love hiking. They know that the trails and scenery along the way are good for the spirit and mood, something Thies really needed after the tragic death of her husband Bill in 2005.

“He cut down a tree on our property and a branch came down and killed him,” said Bonnie Thies of Canadice. “I’m the one who found him in the woods.”

The first thing Thies said was to cry and pray. Later, she went back out and did what she and her late husband loved. She decided to climb Kilimanjaro. While she was training for the hike, she met Robin. The two became friends and formed a hiking group.

“We like to call our group ‘JOI’, Journeys of Inspiration,” said Thies.

The group hikes weekly.

“It gives you peace, no question,” said Thies.

Thies and Flanigan successfully climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was a cancer climb that raised a quarter of a million dollars for cancer victims, survivors and their families. Thies is a three-time cancer survivor. The trek inspired Flanigan, a writer and author, to write a book about the trip and everything Thies had been through. Fifteen years later, they co-wrote Climbing Out: an adventure in rediscovering life after loss.

“I think we can help each other by sharing our problems and I can be a voice for what Bonnie went through,” Flanigan said. “She was such an example of grief, faith, perseverance and resilience. I thought other people should know her as well as I did.”

Thies says her story is not a self-help book, but is about hope and love and how we get there, and all the ups and downs and steps in between. Everyone grieves differently.

“One of the best pieces of advice I ever learned from my dad is to listen to your instincts, and I’ve definitely done that all the time,” Thies said. “All the time.”

Thies not only climbed the mountain, she also found love again. You can read all about it in the book. “Climbing Out” is available on Amazon.