Paramedic Sets Up Phone in the Middle of the Woods After Witnessing 40 Years of Trauma (Exclusive)

Mark Beaulieu and his wife have been checking out different hiking spots in their Ontario neighborhood in recent years, as part of their recent re-commitment to their health. One spot has stood out from the rest and become a favorite over time, which is why he determined it was the perfect spot for a very important project.

"I was scrolling on social media one day when I came across the story of a tsunami that happened in Japan. This one town was devastated by the tsunami. The only thing left standing in this area was a phone. And so this gentleman decided to name it a wind phone," Beaulieu tells PEOPLE.

The "wind phone" has a beautiful history. In 2010, Itaru Sasaki set up the first wind phone while mourning his cousin, who died from cancer. The disconnected old-fashioned rotary phone, set up in a phone booth, allowed him a space to just talk to his lost loved one and listen for an answer.

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One year later, the Ōtsuchi area that Sasaki and the phone called home was devastated after a 9.1 magnitude earthquake, followed by a tsunami. Sasaki was able to salvage the phone and later, opened the concept to the public, hoping to help his neighbors grieve the losses of their homes and loved ones after the tragedy.

In the years since, hundreds of wind phones have been put together by people looking to help others work through difficult emotions tied to grief and loss. After taking some time to consider his mental health after 40 years of serving as a paramedic, Beaulieu became one of them.

"I had some psychological trauma," he shares. "I thought I wanted to help not just myself, but others maybe go through what they're going through with grieving. I thought, 'I'll do this and if it helps one or two people, then my job is done.' That's really all I was looking for."

Beaulieu put the wind phone up in March, but didn't tell anyone about it at first.

"I didn't want accolades. I just saw it and thought it'd be a good idea for people to use. So I went sometime in March and put it up," Beaulieu says.

"I didn't even tell my wife. She saw the phone in the garage, an old dial phone, and she was like, 'What are you going to do with that?' I said, 'I've got some plans,' " he adds with a laugh.

It wasn't until a fall hike that Beaulieu shared the wind phone with his wife.

"I took my wife onto the trail again, because we'd been walking different trails nearby. I said, 'Let's go for a walk back in our old stomping grounds,' and we came across it. So I told her the story and she couldn't believe I actually did that," he shares.

Soon after, he also shared his project with his daughter, Sydney. "We went up for a walk and she saw it and took a little video. Then she put it on TikTok, and it went off from there."

Beaulieu didn't think much of it until he got a text from Sydney saying, "Dad, you're famous."

"She tells me the TikTok she put up has gone viral. At that point it was at like 16,000 views or something. I was like, 'Oh come on,' but by the next day it was well over a million."

Sydney believes it resonated with TikTokers "especially around the holidays."

Beaulieu agrees, adding, "People really miss their family members and friends that are gone and passed over at this time of year. It hits during big events and so I think it struck a chord with a lot of people who saw it and shared it."

Commenters praised Beaulieu for setting it up, and even offered helpful suggestions on what would make the spot he chose even more welcoming and comforting for those struggling with grief.

"One comment had an idea that I'd never even thought about. She mentioned putting up wind chimes and I thought, 'That makes a lot of sense.' It goes along with the wind phone.' Some other commenters suggested a box of tissues, maybe a book. So I added a little storage thing on the side to keep everything dry. There are some wind chimes up now and a little book and photo album if somebody wants to write something or add a picture."

While some commenters have asked Beaulieu to check and see what's been added to it so far, he says it's not his to examine.

"I think it's a private thing between somebody and the phone, and the person they're missing. Do I think a lot of people will use the notebook or leave a photo? Probably not, but it doesn't hurt to have the option. I think people will focus on being there to speak to whoever you need to speak to."

Beaulieu says he never had any expectations for the space when he first set it up. "I put it up to really help me and anybody else in my situation. It's nice to see people are interested in going there. I've also had people reach out asking for plans on how to build one because they want to put one up in their area. There's been a lot of interest, so I've directed them to some different resources."

Both Beaulieu and his daughter are happy to see how much the concept has meant to everyone who has come across it through their video.

"Everyone has been so supportive of each other in the comments. It's really nice to see all of that and really no negative comments," Sydney says.

"For me, any bit of help I can push towards other people is it," Beaulieu adds. "If I can help one person deal with grief and death and dying, all those kinds of things, that's all I'm looking for."

Read the original article on People