On an evening walk in May 2023, Lisa Park’s life changed forever.
What was supposed to be a normal outing in Cypress Creek near their West Vancouver home turned into tragedy, when Park’s husband Keen Lau drowned while trying to save the couple’s beloved dog Loki.
Park, who is an elementary school teacher, has now published a new children’s book that she hopes will help kids who are grieving the loss of a loved one or pet.
“I have a lot of kids from Ukraine and Syria, refugee kids, and they lost their dad or their mom or grandma,” she said. “Maybe this book can be for anyone who needs a reminder that love never fades, and healing is possible, and that we’re never truly alone.”
The 95-page book Keen & Loki retells memories the couple shared, most of them tightly intertwined with their energetic Labrador retriever. In a previous interview, Park said the couple saw Loki as their son, especially because they were unable to have children of their own.
Scenes in the book include adventures of hiking and skiing – favourite pastimes of Lau’s – along with the first time Park introduced Loki to her classroom. They are accompanied by soft and colourful illustrations by a friend of Park’s who lives in Korea.
Park said she had the idea to write a children’s book while Lau was still alive.
“I was thinking of writing a children’s book in 2022, and I actually told Keen about it,” she said. “Because I’m a teacher, right? And I love writing.”
Park said Lau was really supportive of the idea, and gave her some advice on how to approach writing it.
Excited by the theme of featuring their dog Loki, who brought the couple joy but also sometimes got into troublesome situations, she started writing.
“The first two parts – the first day at school for Loki … and then the second, when Loki jumped out of the car – I actually wrote them when Keen was still alive,” she said.
But before she could finish her book, the unthinkable happened. On that day in May, Loki was washing off some mud in the creek when the strong current beneath the surface pulled him away.
Without a second thought, Lau jumped in to save Loki. But the force of the water was too strong and swept them both downstream. At one point, Loki made it out of the water, but then went back in when he couldn’t find Lau.
Hours later, both of their bodies were found by first responders.
Park’s book captures these heartbreaking moments. But the following pages also capture the outpouring of love for Lau from the community, and the way his memory will live on – at a West Vancouver fitness circuit named in his honour and in Park’s heart.
These parts of the book were very hard for her to write.
“It took me a lot of encouragement,” Park said, adding that she cried through much of it.
Even in death, it was Lau who kept her moving forward, she said.
“I really wanted to to heal and honour [his] memory,” she said. “One way I found comfort was through writing. That definitely helped me through this really difficult time.”
Park says family and friends provided huge support after losing loved ones
At the back of the book, the reader is prompted with several questions. One asks how Lisa stayed strong, even when she was very sad.
When asked the question herself, Park said her friends and family provided a huge amount of support.
After the accident, Park moved back with her family in Korea for the summer break.
“Then we travelled to Hawaii in December [2023], during winter break, and we went to Europe for two months during summer break and spring break,” she said. “They tried to keep me busy and always said, ‘You’re not alone – we’re here for you.”
Park said she also hears frequently from her brother’s family, her niece and nephew, and friends from around the world.
“They message me every day about how I’m doing, checking in on me,” she said.
Along with the fitness circuit and her new book, Park has also set up the Keen and Loki Memorial Scholarship, which has already helped two North Shore students.
“We now have three things to really remember them,” she said. “People will be so inspired by their bravery, [to] do the brave and kind acts like Keen and Loki did.”
You can learn more about Park’s book on her website, and donate to the Keen and Loki Scholarship endowment fund via the West Vancouver Foundation.
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