Cape Breton hiker finds inspirational message on mountain

Tenerife Mountain sits on the northern tip of Cape Breton Island and is a popular destination for a hike.

On Sunday, Chad Magee and a few friends spent the day making the challenging climb to the summit when a message written on a tree caught their eye.

"I have to admit, by that time when I saw the message on the tree, I've seen it before, but this day it actually dug in,” Magee said.

“It actually inspired me to put in that little extra bit of effort to get to the top there."

In August 2021, 16-year-old Josh Cochrane was hiking with his father when he wrote the message, “Keep going! It’s 100% worth it.”

The Yarmouth teen knows a lot what it means to keep going through adversity.

"When I was 7, I had Kawasaki Disease. It damaged my heart,” Cochrane explained.

“I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which means I could dislocate joints easily. (I’ve had) a lot of health complications throughout my life."

Magee shared a post on social media about the inspirational message he found on the mountain and was contacted by Cochrane’s mother, who told him all about her son and his story.

"His struggles and everything he's going through,” Magee said.

“Also his fundraising that he does. One of which is with PTSD. Being a first responder myself, that definitely struck a chord with me."

As a young man living with autism, who used to be non-verbal, Cochrane has come a long way and he is happy his message has inspired others.

"I hoped that maybe anybody else hiking up to the peak would see it and get a smile out of it or something, but I never expected the response. I'm happy,” Cochrane said.

Thanks to the message, Magee says he’s made a connection and, perhaps, a friendship. He adds he’d be happy to take Cochrane and his family hiking should they return to Cape Breton.

"If he ever comes back this way, I know a lot of spots around here that he might not be aware of,” Magee said. “I can definitely get them out."

In the meantime, Cochrane is looking forward to receiving the Governor General's Sovereign Medal For Volunteers - once COVID restrictions allow.