Luke Francis Morel

Born: February 29, 2036
Current age: 32
Position: Rescue specialist working from Thunderbird Two

Son of sporting goods store owners, Richard and Melisa Morel, Luke grew up in a rural Montana, spending most of his time exploring the woods around his home. He and his friends would often be found fishing or camping out, rather than at the local high school dances. He was an athlete as a teenager, and played ice hockey for four years in high school, helping his team make it to the state championships during his senior year.

From an early age, Luke knew that he wanted to be a Park Ranger. While working in Yosemite National Park, he took a weekend survival course which then led to his interest in search and rescue. After three years at Yosemite, he applied to National Association for Search And Rescue and became a certified Search And Rescue employee.

He is a graduate of The Ranger School of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Wanakena, New York. After working for the US National Park Service in the Colorado Rockies, he became a fully accredited member of the Mountain Rescue Association, with specialties in avalanche and mountain search and rescue. He also completed the NASAR Search and Rescue Dog Training Program. His 3 year old German Shepard, Rommel, is a highly trained SAR dog. Luke has also received the necessary medical training to assist in rescues. He is nearly qualified as a full paramedic.

Fiercely loyal and protective, he has an affable way about him, and is very easy going. Sometimes he can be perceived as stand-offish, but in actuality he is somewhat shy. His sense of humor appears once he’s out of his shell. Rather soft spoken, he gets his point across when necessary. He can take and give orders in a professional manner, but has been known to be insubordinate when orders conflict with his own training and instincts. He can be overprotective in some cases, and is somewhat of a perfectionist. There are times, he'd rather do a job himself than risk it not being done to his specifications.

Luke has been likened by his friends to be a poster child for the LL Bean catalog, wearing clothes that are more casual and outdoorsy in style. However, he has been known to don a suit coat and tie when the occasion warrants it. He also wears a medal of St. Bernard, the Patron Saint of Mountaineers, around his neck, and has a tattoo of a snowflake on one shoulder blade. He enjoys reading, hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and snowboarding – basically nearly anything to do with the outdoors. Luke lives for a challenge. He’s fond of saying, “I’ll try anything once.”

Luke is homosexual. While not blatant about his sexual preferences, he doesn't keep them secret either. Circumspect has been often used to describe his dating history. He has recently broken up with his partner of four years, Barry. Barry wanted a more traditional relationship, instead of only seeing his partner 6 or 8 times a month. The break-up, while painful to both, was congenial and the two remain friends. Luke’s family is completely fine with his lifestyle. He has one older brother, Roger, a successful businessman. Roger and his wife, Eve, have three children, Sarah, Heather, and Jason. His mother considers Rommel her “Grand-dog”.

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