Help for a Good Cause

from DeviantArt.com

Have you ever met a person or a couple and hit it off so immediately that you knew you were MEANT to meet this person(s)?  The rapport is so quick and easy that it feels like you’ve known them forever; so much so that you kind of have to take a step back and say WHOA — ARE THEY REAL?  

This is the reaction when we first met Trevor and Liz Burdock.  Lucky and I were working in the Jet City Tattoo Expo at the end of January and Liz and Trevor had the booth right next to us. We were setting up the both when Liz came over and made a comment about our little marker sign saying that we were from Grass Valley, CA. We ended up talking throughout the first whole day and then we all grabbed a few beers after the expo closed for the night.  

It turns out that Liz and Trevor are from Bowen Island, outside of Vancouver, BC.  They have two children, a 10 year old son and a 4 year old daughter.  Liz just opened the first and only shop on Bowen Island, In the Flesh Tattoos, and is still working hard to build her clientele.  Liz is still relatively new in the business but is completely aware of her green status and wants to hear your opinions on what she can do to make her technique/self/shop better.  It’s a breath of fresh air when a newbie wants you to be honest with them – and can take the critiques.  Another reason for endearment. 

Where Liz is flamboyant and boisterous, Trevor is almost the exact opposite, stoic and quiet.  He is definitely Liz’s rock and the love of her life.  He’s not always in the background, he lets Liz do her thing, however when he does have something to say it is always very smart and very funny.  And he has a Canadian accent.  Yes, the one you all remember from Strange Brew.  Brittany loved it so much that she made him say certain words over and over again just to hear the ooo sound.  Ab-oot. Eh? 

Anyhoo, the second day of the expo was more of the same and that evening, after hearing that they were going to be sleeping in the back of their truck AGAIN, Lucky invited them to drive an hour South to sleep on our futon instead.  They got to the apartment around 12:30am but the four of us didn’t actually turn in until 4am! We had such a blast talking about our families and our lives that the time literally flew by. 

By the third and final day of the expo everyone’s energy was pretty much gone so after packing up we just chilled at the round bar in the middle of Tulalip Casino.  There Liz and Trevor invited us to stay at their cabin on Bowen Island when we came in July (we definitely will) and then invited us to share their booth at the Lady Lucky Tattoo Expo in Reno in March.  We said yes, gave each other hugs, and parted ways until Reno. 

After that weekend, getting back into the swing of things took a couple of days and I hadn’t heard from Liz in about a week and a half.  I was just about to pop on to Facebook and shoot her a message when she sent everyone a note explaining where she had been for the last week.  This is what she posted: 

Hi everyone,
I don’t even know where to start…It is rare that I am without words. On Early Wednesday morning Jan 27 the love of my life was almost taken from me. He was driving home from the cove at about 1:30 am way too fast and lost control on Grafton rd, at Charlies lane. He hit a tree dead on and ricochet in to the forest. He never lost consciousness. He was trapped in the vehicle, bleeding heavily with both legs broken, and could not find his phone, which he immediately knew was his only chance. He reached behind him to the holy shit grips and pulled himself using only his arms to the back seat, only to realize the phone was in the front. He finally reached the phone and called me at home. I will never forget his words or the sound of his voice. He didnt know where he was, just that he had crashed and broken both of his legs……I hung up the phone grabbed Carloyn and we RACED towards the site. I drove the fastest i possibly could while Carolyn kept Trevor on the phone. We were unable to see the car from the road, so I would push in the clutch and rev the engine until he could hear us getting closer….He cracked the back door and the interior light came on, we found him. 911 was called. Carolyn and I rushed to the car deciding I would take his head and she the legs. He was in bad shape. I held hi head and asked if he could feel his toes, he said yes an wiggled them. Carolyn began to turnicate his legs in an attempt to slow the bleeding, she was successful!. The ambulance and firefighters arrived and took over, after 40 mins with the jaws of life they had gotten him from the car, but the helicopters were already busy so we were headed for the water taxi. HE MADE IT!.
Once at Lions Gate Hospital they did x-rays and Trevor had bi-lateral compound fractures to both of his femurs and a fractured sternum.
He has now had 2 surgeries, and one more in 9 days where they will graft bone from his pelvis to try to attach to his right Femur, so they can plate it, and he can eventually walk again.
This letter is to dispel the rumors, although it was touch and go for a while Trevor is not going to die, nor is he going to have any limbs amputated. We have a very long road ahead of us, but if all goes as planned he may be able to weight bare (not walk) in as little as three months, and be walking in as little as six months.
I want to thank the volunteer fire fighters and paramedics of Bowen Island for saving my whole world, I cant imagine a life without Trevor and thanks to you I wont have to.
Thanks to everyone else for your positive energy.
Donations can be made via Paypal to untouchablepresents@gmail.com or by cheque to Trevor Burdock rr#1 w36 Bowen Island, BC v0n1g0, Canada
PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY! 

I was speechless.  I thought it was a joke.  I had to read this note a couple of times and couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen.  I felt like I had been hit with a brick – and I’ve never felt that way about anyone outside of my family.  I feel like Liz and Trevor are a part of the family and this was a huge blow to me. 

I want to do whatever I can to help so I’m asking you to please donate whatever you can to help Trevor and his family.  Any little bit helps; if everyone who reads this post donates even $1…well, we might only get about $60 but anything is better than nothing.  

Please take a moment to go to http://trevorburdock.com and donate through PayPal.  You’d be doing this for a great cause and we couldn’t thank you enough. 

Erin