Beloved Hunting Guide Travis Pineur Killed In Freak Accident
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Beloved hunting guide Travis Pineur died in a freak accident while trying to get his truck out of the ditch during this weekend's blizzard.
A good Samaritan was helping Pineur on Sunday near Faribault. The tow hitch broke off, flew through Pineur's rear windows and hit him on the back of the head.
One glance around the home Pineur shared with his wife, Megan, and you can see what drove him. Friend Arnie Compton said Travis' love for the outdoors and hunting started at a young age, and only grew.
"His life's work was to make other people's dreams come true. He talked you out onto the adventure ledge and then jumped with you," Compton said.
The 33 year old started Nomad Adventures, and took people from Alaska to New Zealand to hunt everything from turkey to big game.
"Everyone that met him loved him, and he challenge you to be better and to go farther, work harder and just love life. Just a passion that was magnetic to everyone that knew him," Compton said.
He said Pineur also found time to chase his own dreams.
"These trophies represent the adventure. It's not just a bunch of collected heads. It's the adventure and it's the memories," Compton said.
He says family and friends mattered most to Pineur. He married his soulmate just last summer.
"This could be said of everyone that knew and loved him, and I'll just say it for me, a part of me is missing that I can never replace," Compton said. "If we can take anything from this loss, we just have to be better about living life and just appreciating everything we have, because he epitomized that."
Pineur's family is asking that people wear camouflage to his funeral. They told WCCO-TV they want the good Samaritan to know they know this was a terrible accident.
Visitation is at Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault on Friday, March 1 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. The funeral is at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.