Kansas man who died in Newfoundland fire was visiting for dream moose-hunting trip

Eugene Earl Spoon, 77, of Kansas, who died in a hotel fire in western Newfoundland, was fulfilling his dream of hunting deer — and his daughter says he succeeded.

Gina Heller says her father, Eugene Earl Spoon, called her the night before the fire in a happy mood to say he had managed to hunt a Newfoundland deer.

He says his father was an avid hunter and spent months planning his dream deer hunting trip.

During the call — his last to his father — he spoke of the kindness of Newfoundlanders and even handed the phone to a woman he had befriended so Heller could say hello to her.

Heller says his family got a call from police saying his father was missing after a Saturday morning fire destroyed the Driftwood Hotel in Deer Lake, Newfoundland.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed on Wednesday that his remains were found during a search of the fire area.

Deer Lake Mayor Mike Gosney says the Spoon family has requested that their father's venison be donated to a local food bank.

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