(L-R) Wm. Paul Young, Sherman Dahl and Ted Ohlsen (photo credit: Emily Dahl)

By Kevin Rothwell

Find your inner purpose

Emily Dahl Foundation speakers inspire hearts and minds

Jun 12, 2021 | 6:54 AM

A New York Times best-selling author, Canada’s first blind guide outfitter and renowned carver and the founder of the Emily Dahl Foundation have combined to make a lasting impression on how we look at life, love and loss.

This week, Sherman Dahl brought together Wm. Paul Young, author of “The Shack,” which has sold over 22 million copies and been made into a major motion picture, Ted Ohlsen whose story of never quiting despite being blinded in a hunting accident at age 22, for an inspiring live and online event.

Young talked about his own story of having to rebuild his life and marriage over an 11-year, gut wrenching look at who he was, which nearly resulted in him taking his own life. He emerged a renewed person, and penned ‘The Shack’ as a gift to his children.

“I never intended the book to be anything but a gift to my kids, and a few extra copies got shared with friends and here we are. I guess you could say I’m an accidental author,” Young told the audience.

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The book has been a gift to millions around the world, and other books have followed, and Young continues to write, speak and inspire.

Young has an affinity for Vernon as the Grande Prairie native, worked as a radio announcer at CJIB 940 AM, as a young man.

Flin Flon Manitoba resident Ted Ohlsen joined the event by live stream and lamented he couldn’t be there in person due to travel restrictions.

The 83-year-old has been an inspiration to many with his never quit attitude.

He related his story of being blinded in a hunting accident at age 22 and being told he couldn’t do the things he wanted to do, like be a guide outfitter and waterski.

“People ask me how did you waterski without seeing the boat? I tell them, I can hear the boat and that means I’m fine. If I can’t hear the boat, then it’s not,” Ohlsen regaled the crowd.

While he no longer is waterskiing, he did become Canada’s first blind guide outfitter, he is one of Canada’s renowned wood carvers and continues to marvel at the majesty of the boreal forest near where he lives.

“People think money is happiness, I go walking through the woods everyday and hear the call of the loon, who paid for that? It is worth a million dollars and cost nothing,” Ohlsen observed.

Dahl reported getting numerous calls, emails and texts following the presentation from far and wide.

“It is from life and experience, events and books, nature and art, intuition and meditation that one is to gain incentive for positive thought and get inspiration for positive conduct. Paul Young and Ted Ohlsen gave us all a healthy dose of just that. It was beautiful.” Dahl said.