Volunteer work, Traffic accidents | Olav Arnt always said yes to help. This summer he lost his life in a head-on collision. Now the family is moved by the gesture of friends

On August 2 this year, Olav Arnt Larssen and his wife Gunn Larssen were heading home to Bodø. They had been on vacation and, among other things, climbed the famous Seven Sisters rock formation off the Helgeland coast. On the way home, they drove on E6 in Saltdal Township. Here they were involved in a frontal accident with a motorhome.

The couple was taken to the hospital.

For a time, everything seemed to be going well. Gunn had broken both legs, but he was out of the woods. Olav Arnt underwent surgery at night and met his wife for the last time after this. Then it turned out that the internal damage was too great.

– He was a former priest and recently retired. He was about to turn 70 and he was a man in very good shape. Together with my wife and mother-in-law, they were on all the mountain peaks. He was extremely active and in good shape, his son-in-law Vigleik Aas tells Nettavisen.

The project

In addition to being very active, Olav Arnt also had a great project that he spent a lot of time on:

– Built an annex in the family cabin. He had drawn everything himself and was very happy to have come this far.

The former pastor had done a lot of the project alone:

– He really liked this, speculating and researching different solutions on his own. It was said that if he wasn’t a priest, he should have been an engineer, Aas smiles.

When Olav Arnt passed away, none of his loved ones were close enough to complete the project. Construction work on the cabin was in place, but something had to be done before winter, otherwise the cabin would be destroyed, says the son-in-law. Then came the rescue:

– He was part of the Coastal Team Salta, a coastal team that works for the preservation of ancient boats and coastal culture, and there is a group of well-developed guys who work with boats and thrive in each other’s company. And then they have decided to jump in and are now volunteering this weekend here. They have been working since Thursday, and now they are carpentry to put this in its place.

Carpentry company

To ensure the quality of the project, the family contacted a carpentry company. Aas has the experience that getting craftsmen on short notice can be very difficult, but he wanted to know if there were any sick derelicts who could direct the work:

– Someone who had broken his hand, for example, who could imagine taking such a job, without carpentry, but could only direct the work and make sure things were done correctly, and then we contacted a company called SnekkerBjørn . They had a man who wanted to show up for cheap money, and he has a tent and everything with him. He’s done a great job too, so he’s absolutely fantastic, Aas tells Nettavisen.

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Work went faster than expected – now the cab is ready for winter.

– It’s absolutely amazing, says Aas.

– Unbelievably grateful

The fact that the deceased retiree’s coastal companions volunteered to complete the extension to the cabin is something the family greatly appreciates. From the rehab department, Olav Arnt’s wife Gunn tells Nettavisen how much this means:

– I am incredibly grateful. It’s a relief that he’s calmed down. In the middle of the tragedy was what Olav Arnt had started to build on there, and we couldn’t do anything or deal with it. So I am very happy that they took it on, both the coastal team and the carpenter, he says.

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She thinks that Olav Arnt’s hard-working nature is the reason they chose to appear:

– I was very happy to help and work. She enjoyed doing physical work. Whether it was the cabin or the grandkids’ bikes, he fixed it.

Yes man

Idar Henriksen was one of those who did not hesitate to intervene when he found out about the cabin. It was also he who gathered the coastal troops. Henriksen confirms what Gunn tells Nettavisen:

– Olav Arnt has always been a yes-man who has stood up for everyone. He has been very good and willing without great words with him. It felt really good to stand up for this, says Henriksen, who adds that Gunn and the rest of the family are also very kind and warm people, says Henriksen.

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It says they are in a good position to complete the extension:

– The roof is finished and 80 percent of the walls are clad, but I will probably have to make another trip. But that’s okay, Henriksen says after working at the cabin all weekend.

there’s not much to do

The family is overwhelmed by volunteer work after Olav Arnt abruptly passed away:

– There were many people who asked us to communicate if there was anything they could do, but usually when a family member passes away there is not much you can do, says Aas with a sad laugh.

Olav Arnt was very involved in the coastal team before his death. The gang’s effort and willingness to work almost astonishes Aas:

– What drives the gang that is on the roof and walls now, or how we should get paid, I don’t know … We are at least deeply grateful to everyone who has lined up, they are fabulous people.

Aas was not involved in the accident, but he has struggled with long-term back problems and therefore cannot contribute to carpentry work over time:

– So I prefer to control the kitchen and make sure there is good food and coffee on the table for these people at all times. My pleasure. On Friday there was a game stew with Finnish beef and on Saturday night it was Italian chicken.

Expecting a visit soon

Gunn is still in the rehab department after the accident, but he is improving by the day. Now he can walk with a cane, just two months after he broke both legs:

– The surgeons have done a good job, to put it bluntly, he tells Nettavisen.

She hopes to go to the cabin and see the result in no time:

– Yes, with grandchildren and everything. We have had many happy days there, both outside by the fire and in winter skiing. It’s great that these people did this here. It’s moving, he concludes.