After a Gatineau, Que., couple was attacked while traveling in Panama in late October, they now need time to recover from the physical and emotional trauma.
“I think it’s nice to be with friends and family, but at the same time my heart is over there. It’s somewhere else,” said Geneviève Plouffe, who returned home a month ago with her partner Martin Audette.
They were in the middle of a year-long journey through South and Central America.
“The plan wasn’t to come (home). The plan was to just travel and live life. But I don’t know how I feel.”
Plouffe and Audette were in their parked bus, which they had converted into an RV, near the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal on Oct. 28 when attackers opened fire and gained access to the vehicle.
The men dragged Audette out and beat him with a hammer and a rifle butt, Plouffe said.
Others got on the bus and demanded money, threatening Plouffe’s life.
Geneviève Plouffe says she and her husband, Martin Audette, were in their parked bus on October 28 when a group of armed attackers fired at the vehicle and gained entry to the bus.
“I’m still in pain, my sternum and ribs still hurt. I have scars all over the back of my head,” Audette said.
“The recovery process was what it was. It’s like I just got beaten up – beaten up really bad.”
The couple said they knew mental recovery would be a long process. Since the attack, they have struggled with flashbacks and anxiety.
“You feel anger, you feel sadness, you feel a lot of emotions…joy, pain and sadness about what happened,” Audette said.
“But it’s part of life. We all know that life isn’t always great, with different chapters and different obstacles to overcome. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Path to justice
Without insurance, the couple said they incurred $40,000 to $50,000 in hospital and legal fees.
In a written response, Global Affairs Canada confirmed it was aware of the incident involving the two Canadians but declined to comment due to privacy concerns. Canadian consular officials in Panama are in contact with local authorities and are providing assistance.
On the advice of the Canadian Embassy in Panama, the couple hired a lawyer in the hope that their case would be heard.
Radio-Canada reached out to police authorities in Panama but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Plouffe said two suspects were identified by police a few weeks ago. The couple said updates from local authorities were rare.
Audette hopes to bring the attackers, as well as the owner of the property where they were parked, to justice through Panama’s justice system.
“Before we left Panama, we hired this lawyer… and the last thing I said to him before we left was: Someone has to pay, and it won’t be me.”
Plans to return to El Salvador
The couple sought help from a psychologist in El Salvador who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder before returning to Canada.
“Getting a psychological appointment in Quebec is very difficult. So in El Salvador it was very quick and very easy,” Plouffe said.
The couple said they also found comfort in the support of family and friends.
“The Van Lifers are a crazy, great community. They are very nice and help us a lot,” said Plouffe. “We are very happy to be part of this wonderful family.”
They plan to remain in Canada for a few more weeks before returning to El Salvador, primarily for medical, psychological and psychiatric support. The warmer weather is also a factor, Plouffe said.
The couple also plans to return to Panama one day to pick up their bus, which requires extensive repairs.
