NANAIMO, B.C. — While it’s not unusual for Iver Benson and his dad Dylan to spend time together in nature, what happened earlier today was.
“I pet a bumblebee,” Iver smiles. “It just flew on my finger.”
But instead of shaking it off in fear, Iver says he gently pet it with kindness
“It’s soft,” Iver smiles.
It’s one of those small moments that Dylan Benson has learned to cherish in a big way.
“This time isn’t promised,” Dylan says. “And I know that too well unfortunately.”
You see, when Dylan’s wife Robyn was five months pregnant, she suffered a rare aneurysm that left her brain dead. She was kept on life support until baby Iver was born. Hours after welcoming his son, Dylan was saying goodbye to his wife.
“I contemplated giving up because things were just too, too hard,” Dylan says. “But I always knew that (Iver) would be here counting on me, so I had to keep going.”
Eventually, the single father found solace and strength through spending time with his young son in nature.
“It whole-heartedly changed and saved my life,” Dylan says. He and Iver would search for waterfalls on hikes, skip stones in the ocean and fly kites on breezy days.
After a decade of embarking on adventures together, Iver recently made a list of his happiest memories. Rather than elaborate gifts or extravagant trips, it featured simple things that he and his dad did.
“Like throwing the frisbee, playing outside, seeing birds in trees,” Iver says.
It inspired Dylan, who’d never written a book before, to self-publish a story titled ’I Knew I Loved You From Day One.’
The first page features an illustration of a father holding his baby in the boy’s bedroom. Hanging on the wall is a yellow sign saying, ‘you are my sunshine.’ It’s what Robyn had always hoped to decorate Iver’s room with before she died.
“And I got that tattooed on my arm,” Dylan says, lifting his arm and Iver pointing at it. “On what would have been Robyn and I’s first wedding anniversary.”
While Robyn is also honoured through illustrations of birds in the book, Dylan hopes this story of a father and son connecting in simple ways, surrounded by the beauty of nature, proves inspiring for all parents.
“It’s really fleeting, and this is the time you can make those core memories,” Dylan says. “Take advantage of it while they still want to go out and do those things with you.”
And then Iver suggests that one might make those memories even more meaningful by sharing his favourite pepperoni pizza after.
But seeing as that didn’t make the book, Dylan and Iver can start making a new list of meaningful memories.
“Eating pizza and petting bumble bees!” Dylan laughs.
A solid start to this dynamic duo’s next chapter.
