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ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AN ILLNESS OR DISABILITY Katie's Tribute to a Great Man We think it's fair to say the whole world has been moved from events around the passing of this extraordinary man who from such a humble background has done so much for his fellow man, especially for the sick, the disabled and the dying. Katie's Ski Tracks In the beginning, call it fate or divine intervention, just four years before Kate Noctor our co-founder's death, she took a group of sick and disabled adults from the Cotswolds on a holiday to Rome. Here the whole group received a personally arranged audience and blessing with His Holiness Pope John Paul II and as some of these adults were terminally ill this blessing meant everything to them. Upon Kate's death lots of people referred to this blessing and commented, "well he didn't do a lot of good for Kate". On the other hand perhaps these things are just out of our hands and that the powers that be knew of Kate's fate and just made sure she received this blessing. Can we Believe in Fate or Intervention As Katie's Ski Tracks was born
just 24 hrs after this photo was taken. I started in a new position as
a co-driver on an ambulance bus taking large groups of sick and disabled
on holidays into Europe. My first job was to Rome where on the Wednesday
our group received a specially arranged audience with the Pope to which
I was so fortunate to be included as out of the entire audience of about
50,000 he blessed about 200 people that day. I will never forget this moment as the Pope came down from the alter to greet us as I was standing 3rd in line. A lot of people talk about his charisma, having seen him on TV or in photos let me assure you there was something very special to be found that day when he took my hand to give the blessing, the power that ran through my body as he looked into my eyes. Like many other people who are sad at the passing of His Holiness I am not a Catholic but I still hold the power and strength that I felt he gave me even to this day. Just imagine what this must have done for the sick and dying? Remarkably that same Wednesday night at midnight, with my treasured photo of me and my new found mate in hand, the group set off for a three day stay in the Hotel Pension Argentum in the South Tyrol. We started to climb the mighty Brennor Pass and as we got nearer to Vipitino we took the national road to the Pflersch Valley and it was here my four year dream started to unfold. I was beginning to feel, through the mountains, the same great power I felt the previous day at the Audience with the Pope. Just three kilometers out of
the resort I saw the Ladurn's Ski Resort and got very excited as I had
always been looking for the elusive resort but not as as excited as
when we pulled up at the hotel as there in front off my very eyes was
a small ski button lift not twenty meters from the hotel entrance. After
a quick phone call home to Kate for moral support, Katie's
Ski Tracks was born
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