Everett man goes to Alaska to return theft victim’s van

EVERETT — It took less than 12 hours for Kristen Shaulis to lose nearly all her worldly possessions when she made an unplanned stop in Everett in early March.

By the time police found her belongings, including her minivan, Shaulis and her two black Labradors, Max and Misty, were on a boat headed north to her new job in Alaska.

Everett resident Karl Myers­ left town Friday, towing her minivan and everything that was recovered. The 65-year-old will make the two-day ferry trip to Ketchikan,* where he will catch another ferry to Metlakatla, a small town on Annette Island southeast of Ketchikan.

That is where Shaulis works as a registered nurse in a health clinic run by an American Indian tribe. She showed up to her first day of work in scrubs donated by Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.

Several people gave her clothing, shoes and money to help carry her through.

“Yesterday when I went to do my grocery shopping, every piece of clothing I had was donated,” Shaulis told The Herald in March. “I just felt very fortunate.”

But “when you don’t have your things, and you don’t have your things around you, you just feel lost. But I’m glad I have clothing and I have food and I have housing,” she said.

Shaulis could not be reached this week for comment. She appreciates the community’s support, Myers said. The two have talked several times on the phone to coordinate his trip north.

“You could hear the emotion in her voice that all this is being done for her,” he said.

Several local businesses helped get her 1999 Chrysler Town and Country minivan running again after thieves destroyed the ignition system. They did the work for free or at cost.

Dick’s Towing of Everett towed the minivan to Dwayne Lane’s Chrysler dealership and service center, which fixed the ignition system, cleaned the car and put in a new battery.

A-1 Auto Service Center in Everett did an oil change and fixed a minor electrical problem.

Another Everett company, Conaway Motors Inc., replaced a headlight and water pump.

“I was the catalyst, but people really stepped up when I asked,” Myers said.

His involvement came out of volunteer work he does with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. He spends about 10 hours a week with other volunteers looking for lost or stolen vehicles.

Shaulis just started a new job and can’t take a week off to collect her property in Everett, he said.

So Myers offered to bring it to her.

Myers said he wanted to show Shaulis what the community is capable of, and to show others that anyone can make a difference in someone’s life.

The Everett Police Department is investigating the theft but does not have “anything fresh,” said Sgt. Ryan Dalberg, a department spokesman.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.

Correction, May 19, 2014: Myers took a ferry from Washington to Ketchikan, where he transferred to a local ferry to finish his trip. An earlier version of this story misstated his water route.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.