The Boy Who Walked

In January 2012, 14-year old Burton Winters froze to death after his snowmobile broke down on the ice just outside his home in Makkovik, Labrador. While his death was tragic on its own, grief turned to outrage as details emerged about his struggle for survival and how the search for Winters was handled by government agencies. Revelations include the fact that he had walked for 19 kilometres over rocky ice before lying down to die, and that rescue crews waited three days before finally searching for the boy. In this book, Michael Johansen tells the story of Burton Winters life, explores how he died, and why there is a rising chorus demanding changes to Canada's search and rescue procedures.