Susan B. Eirich – A Woman with a Purpose
Earthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat Center, Driggs, Idaho

Founded in 2000 Susan B. Eirich, Ph.D., Executive Director and Jean Simpson, Wildlife Expert, Earthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat Center was named after a passionate earth-mother wolf with a fire in her belly who protected anything vulnerable.

Situated on a secluded forty-acre nature compound, Earthfire is dedicated to develop a new model of relating to nature through the voices of the rescued wildlife that are in the care of Susan and Jean.  From Running Like The Wind, a three-legged deer to Foxie Whitefoot, a fox who was recently rescued from a fur farm, to four grizzly bears and a gentle black bear named Huckleberry Bear, no animal is turned away.

Living in harmony with each other, Earthfire also houses fourteen wolves, several coyotes, a lynx, a cougar, chickens, one very cocky rooster and two buffalo: Bluebell and Nima, a white buffalo.  Additionally, three horses, a donkey are part of the menagerie, along with MacDougal, a Clydesdale horse who regrettably, died during the course of our filming.

Our initial reason for filming at the Earthfire Institute was to document the life of 67 year-old Susan B. Eirich, Ph.D. as part of the documentary series I am producing on men and women as they age.  I have found that a vital element to a successful transition from youth to old age is ‘having a purpose in life.’

Along my own journey to understanding this concept, I have met many people who have nurtured a deep purpose in their lives.  But I must say that the work being done by Susan and Jean, with limited volunteer help, is extraordinary.

It’s not just the animals they have rescued it’s their care and feeding while having to raise support from donations to cover their $22,000 a month cost.  It is remarkable to see how emotionally attached they have become to each one of them.  As is life’s inevitable passage with all living creatures, their animals often die, which means that Susan and Jean have to also maintain the cemetery they have created that now holds some sixty animals, all of whom had a name and a special place in their hearts.

Our first day, co-executive producer Tom Rau, assistant producer Chaz Millard, field producer Jay Rau and myself spent a great deal of time filming and listening to Susan and Jean.

We returned after three days to film some final scenes with a wonderful 14 year-old, 700 lb. black bear named Humble Bumble, who, in the middle of our production, ate our GoPro camera that we thought we had secretly set up on some rock formations near a watering pool.

We were all invited into the secluded, fenced in play area, which is really a large park-like garden with the Teton Mountains as a backdrop.  Humble Bumble slowly made his way into the green, tree filled pasture.  Our only instructions were “if he approaches you, don’t run—no joking.”  You can be assured that such instruction were, to say the least, intimidating. 

In the final scene, I had planned to film Susan and Jean walking through the open pasture at sunset with the sun-soaked Teton Mountains behind them.  By their side would be two of their fourteen wolves, Apricot and Nightwind.

As with any production of this nature, we had to film it several times to make sure I had the shot I wanted.  Susan and Jean were most accommodating.

On this same day, we would be walking over to the animal cemetery where, two days prior, they had buried MacDougal, the proud Clydesdale horse with whom we had just filmed three days earlier.

We were all shocked to have heard of his death; he died of colic, a common cause of death with horses.  As we stood there talking with Susan, you could see and feel her heavy heart.  You know she and Jean were deeply saddened by the loss of this beautiful creature.  It was also clear the grief in the animals as well, particularly Bluebell.

As we drove off to our rather simple lives, we could not help but wonder what would have become of these animals if not for Susan and Jean and the deep love and compassion for them and their existence.

Whether it’s a domestic or wild animal, they have provided more than caretaking.  They have offered these creatures their unconditional love, and their joy at doing so cannot help but bring a smile to your face. 

An amazing organization, Earthfire Institute works tirelessly to preserve a quality of life for some of the most beautiful animals on this planet.