A Tribute to My Friend Cheryl Anne Wilcox and Interview with her Husband, Jeff McHarg
Today I would like to pay tribute to my friend Cheryl Anne Wilcox, who passed away in 2018. March 30th would have been her 64th birthday. She was a vibrant person filled with “joie de vivre” and she always made you feel like special friend.
Both Cheryl Anne and her husband Jeff McHarg were former colleges of mine when I worked in the health food industry. Jeff is a nature loving, science geek, from Southern Ontario, whose plans on becoming a Naturopathic doctor where cut short when he suffered a serious motor vehicle accident in his third year at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. As chance would have it, he started to work in the natural supplement industry where he spent his entire professional career mainly as C level positions.
Cheryl Ann was the love of his life, best friend, partner in crime and fiancé for 28 years. They were preparing for full retirement and years of exploration together. Following home care for Cheryl Anne during her terminal illness and her death at the young age of 60, Jeff decided to take a sabbatical from work.
Jeff stated that “Life is short, there’s no pause and no rewind”. He made a promise to Cheryl Anne to continue living their plans to travel, looking to learn new skills and activities while discovering new lands and meeting new people. Since then, he has traveled over 250,000 km to 20 different countries and 6 of the 7 continents during the covid pandemic, following strict protocols along the way. Although Cheryl Ann may no longer be with us, she continues to be by Jeff’s side as he travels. This is Jeff’s story.
How do you honour Cheryl Anne in your travels?
Firstly, I take the opportunity to talk about Cheryl Anne to the numerous guides and fellow adventurers I meet. Many of my travels include guides and instructors with whom I get to spend many days and even weeks together. Friendships form as we discuss our personal histories and families. I honour Cheryl Anne by discussing how brave she was, how strong, her loving personality, her likes and dislikes.
Secondly, I like to honour Cheryl Anne symbolically with a memento left behind for others and sometimes with a photo that can comfort friends and family;
- Tibetan prayer flag at Everest base camp with her photo and words of inspiration
- Tree house photo in Africa
- Paragliding in Colombia with her picture while flying
- Prayer flag in the Dolomites
- Her favourite chocolate left on Mount Kenya summit
- Snow heart in Alberta ice fields
- Cenotes day of the dead celebration photo at 140 feet deep
- Moab desert video
- Her dream catcher on a rock climbing cliff at the Lions Head Ontario
Also, I contribute to charities in Cheryl Anne’s name;
- Rushaga village women’s empowerment group and school at Bwindi impenetrable gorilla forest.
- One week food and hygiene supplies to 15 families in Uganda.
- Peruvian Amazon Christmas celebration for a village of kids whose dads were mostly guides and didn’t work for 2 years due to Covid.
Tell us about some of the places you’ve been to and where are you planning to go to next.
Usually the activity will determine the country location. I have combined very different activities and geography on recent travels (Patagonia south, Chile north, Antarctica, Colombia combo)
Nepal for Everest base camp trek
Peruvian Amazon jungle expedition
Machu Picchu trek
South Africa bush
Uganda, Kenya trekking and on foot game safaris
Red sea liveaboard scuba diving
Egypt mountain climbing
Ice climbing in Canadian Rockies
Moab Utah skydiving course/licence
Sea kayak Saguenay fjord Quebec
Moab crack climbing
Cozumel cenote, scuba diving and surfing
Italy dolomite rock climbing and mountaineering
Mount Kenya summit climb
Masai Marai, great migration Iceland Scuba and glacier trekking
Chilean Patagonia overland and glacier trekking
White water Kayak, Antarctic expedition with kayaking and snorkeling
Colombia South America paragliding course
San Andres Colombia kite surf school.
I love Africa, glaciers, under the sea explorations and learning new adventure skills. At the moment, I’m considering scuba diving in Indonesia/Malaysia since it has now opened for travel as well as more climbing in Europe, climbing the 4 volcano peaks in Guatemala this spring, back to Africa for more walking safari, cross country paragliding training back in Colombia and possible Himalayan mountaineering training for a go at a 8,000 metre summit attempt next year.
What’s the best part of travelling?
Learning and exploring different cultures, landscapes, wildlife and activities while exploring new activities.
For me, life begins at the edge of your comfort zone…sometimes you have to travel to a new edge.
Travel has allowed me to escape some of the sorrow of my grief and celebrate Cheryl Anne’s life by keeping on keeping on. I am thinking that my search for a new ordinary world will be a search that will never end.
Most interesting people you’ve met?
I’ve met so many kind, genuine and fascinating folks. The most interesting collection was at a cabin campground in Moab Utah. I spent over 4 weeks in Moab obtaining my skydiving licence; morning jumps, afternoon hikes and rock climbing and evening studies for skydiving. Definitely a distinct hippy vibe here in the desert. Thrill seeking adrenaline junkies free climbing and base jumping along with hardcore hikers and mountain bikers staying here long term. No matter which camp you belonged to, the weekend ravers or early morning risers, everyone brought their version of stoke to the table. This was the first full year of the pandemic travel restrictions so it was mostly Americans and not the typical onslaught of climbers who travel from all over the world to “crack climb” the sandstone towers in Moab. This was the most eclectic large group I have met.
What travelling advice would you give to people?
A local guide is worth their weight in gold. You learn more, discover more and maximize your time and experiences. If you can, do it private versus large group.
If you are North American like I am, try to be patient. We are the exception to the world order.
Like minded travellers on similar adventurers as you, are the best source for future travel ideas. You are from the same tribe, take advantage of the opportunity.
Did you have any scary moments during your travels?
I’ve had many thrilling moments with adventures, a few scary, some related to the adventure activities I was engaged in such as some spicy sky diving landings, tangled paragliding lines, lions and hyena crowding my tent and some not. Let’s look at scary moments not related directly to the sport.
On a five day getaway to Cuba I ended up in a Holguin hospital for a week with massive leg inflammation and pain. On release from hospital required to rest in Cuba for 1 week prior to being allowed to depart the country. Diagnosis switched from necrotizing fasciitis, where amputation was being considered too deep vein thrombosis to, upon return to Canada, diagnosed as torn meniscus with resulting inflammation causing blockage to venous circulatory flow.
During spring ice climbing at Maligne canyon in Jasper Canada I luckily escaped injuries from a 1000 kg ice and rock fall that occurred above me. The canyon was closed by the national park afterwards; ripped my backpack right off me.
While solo climbing the Italian dolomites I was forced to stay overnight in a crevice at 10,000 feet due to failed GPS guidance and impending darkness. No camping or freezing weather gear with me on that night.
Any pleasant surprises?
Always in awe of the planet, its wildlife and our fellow humans.
Any major disappointments?
Observing wealthy nations taking financial advantage of developing countries, particularly prevalent in Africa, where foreign capital investment is actually a tool to control the government.
Are you a tourist or a traveller?
Mostly an explorer, I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone to try new things, to be challenged, to engage with different people and surroundings, all via non strop and adrenaline activity. I can also be a tourist, some world landmarks are truly exceptional, unique and inspiring. It would be a shame to not experience them first hand.
How can travelling contribute to our spiritual growth?
Connecting with people and nature, regardless of the big differences in the different cultures that may exist. Visiting nature and wildlife and bathing in all its majesty. I feel so privileged and humbled to experience so much; the accomplishments, new activities, new knowledge, new discoveries, new friends.
Any serendipities during your travels?
So so many… the most memorable one was when I encountered the same guide in Costa Rica who helped me find the exact isolated river location where Cheryl Anne and I got stranded years earlier and had our encounter with a jaguar ( this is where Cheryl Annes cremated ashes were dispersed).
How are the people in the world different? How are they the same?
People are much more similar than different in the world, regardless of religious and cultural beliefs; we want to be kind, helpful and healthy. We all thrive on love and humour.
If there are differences in countries populations, it is a jealousy or yearning for what they perceive to be missing from their lives, like better healthcare, education and opportunities for lively hood.
It has been difficult to be exposed to countries where women have much fewer rights and opportunities. Many times, these are the same countries where elders and parents are given much more consideration, respect and care.
A smile displayed in most places gets a smile in return. Language barriers are surmountable.
Everyone has a cell phone, sometimes two; one for messaging and one for talking. The cell phone services are the one business that flourishes in every town, village and city of the world.
Eat, Pray & Love was a book/movie about a woman who set out on a quest of self discovery. Which 3 words would you use to describe your journey?
Adventure, Escape & Repeat
Travelling shapes who you are. In the classroom of the life, what has travelling around the world taught you?
- Respect, humility and gratitude.
- I am truly grateful. My travel preferences are unique. I have a responsibility to be an ambassador for the conservation of the planet.
- It may be human to be different. As much as we try to be unique, we are so much more similar.
- The world is smaller than you think and more fragile than most are willing to admit.
Thank you Jeff for sharing your experiences and allowing us to live them vicariously through your travels and above all sharing them in loving memory of Cheryl Anne.
Travelling is more than just a destination, it’s about discovering ourselves as we embark on the journey of life.
It’s more than buying souvenirs, it’s about making memories.
It’s more than visiting places, it’s about creating experiences and connecting with people. When we see the world, we broaden our perspective of life and get to appreciate everything we have.
Travelling helps us connect to our spiritual nature; we are all in a scared relationship with ourselves, others and nature as we share our lovely home, planet earth.
Everyone is on the same path, questioning who they are and the meaning of life.
The whole world becomes our church as travelling gets us out of your comfort zone and into living life. Travelling enriches our life and keeps us present. It is transformative and healing as we get to unplug, explore and share our experiences with our loved ones.
“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” Muhammed
Travel light, live light.
Antoinette Giacobbe
