When Guy came to me several years ago, waving an outline enthusiastically, and suggesting we write a book together, I reacted with both intrigue and skepticism.  Despite the fact that we had partnered for years during SAR missions, Guy and I are an unlikely match: our backgrounds, perspectives, and personalities differ markedly. He is an introvert coming out of the world of science, with an analytical skill set that is beyond impressive. I’m an intuitive extrovert, with a lifelong dedication to a personal mission of building community and leadership in all aspects of my life.  As polar opposites, we drive each other nuts at times. I’m a dog person; Guy prefers cats.

A passion for mountaineering and finding the missing

Our overarching bond has always been our joint passion for mountaineering and for finding the missing and the dead. We almost immediately struck a unique partnership, which has persisted over the years, even as we have grown in different ways in our search and rescue professional volunteer roles. I began my SAR career totally focused on becoming the best K9 handler that I could be, and was surprised to find myself applying my leadership coaching skills to the knotty challenges of growing healthy K9 teams.

Guy was initially drawn to the navigation and wilderness skills needed for SAR missions. His analytical strengths allowed him to grow into search management roles, where he was recognized by law enforcement for planning some of the largest and most complex missions in our state history.

Would two such different people be able to tell a story with unified voice purpose? I challenged Guy: “I know our experiences searching for the dead would be a story that only few could tell. But I’ve got some reservations. I’d want it to be more than just the story of a K9 handler and her dog. Do we have a bigger purpose than just telling a good story?”

Guy leaned back in the chair, almost tipping it over in his enthusiasm as his eyes light up with an idea. “Yes, yes! Imagine our story as a layer cake, that only our two voices can create.”

A layer cake? For some reason, my skepticism was not instantly soothed. “Guy, you’re going to need to explain that a bit.”

A unique window into the world of K9 SAR teams

He continued while making diagrams in the air, “OK, picture this. As a foundation, we can provide a unique window into the world of K9 SAR teams searching for the missing and dead. By sharing our raw experiences in the field together with Keb, you and I can be a voice for hundreds of K9 volunteers, whose dedication and talents are little understood by the communities they serve. But we can go beyond that. Our next layer would reveal the context in which searching happens. We can add the real-world complexities of planning and managing searches, the drama of how searchers interact with desperate families, and the strife that comes with internal team power struggles.”

Guy looked up to see if he was gaining any traction with me. “OK,” I conceded, “you may have something there, but” . . . I paused in thought . . . “this needs to be a work of inspiration for me, something that others looking for meaning and purpose can relate to, something that can help them find their way.” We hashed over ideas for some time, and I continued to push back on his proposal.

Our story as search and rescue volunteers

“Guy, I want to show in our story how we both grow, learn, and have our limits challenged as we work toward individual and common goals. I want readers to see how our pursuits of passion and purpose go hand in hand with overcoming adversity and conquering our own personal demons. I want to tell how we faced human frailty, took stock of what really mattered, and made a principled decision, fully aware we would have to suffer painful consequences. By sharing our story, I want our readers to find courage, resilience, and hope, when chasing their own dreams.”

Guy looked at me with a grin.  “Suzanne, you’ve just described our top two cake layers!”

In that moment, I realized how we might tell our story as search and rescue volunteers, and of our struggles to grow a respected K9 team.

Our tale would be one of:

• belief
• passion
• living one’s dreams
• developing deep friendships
• becoming our K9 partners’ spiritual guardians
• making a difference in the world. 

But above all, we would share a story of our search for the dead — using hard-honed skills to find what remains of lost souls, to seek out justice, and to bring them home.