Whoops, it has been a minute since I wrote a blog post. Life has been busy, uneventful and everything in between. 6 weeks on a knee scooter was a lot, there were good days and harder ones, but I had a great group of friends who stood by me and helped me get around. I found ways to be involved with Pop Up programs, give Ranger talks while sitting down, and go on driving roves to enjoy the scenery of Grand Canyon.

Throughout the rest of my time in Grand Canyon I had some fun adventures, some of which included a very delayed but epic trip to Vegas with my dad! This was meant to be a trip for my 21st birthday, but due to Covid we weren’t able to get out there until now. But even a knee scooter didn’t stop me from having the best time! We went to the Sphere and interacted with AI robots, visiting the Pawn Stars shop, exploring the themed hotels, riding a rollercoaster on top of New York New York, and of course playing in poker tournaments! This was my first time playing in a formal setting, and it was a lot of fun, I didn’t win any money but I ranked about in the middle of the pack each time, however my dad did get 3rd in one tournament which was epic!

My last few weeks in the park were a lot of fun, my friends and I went down to a ballgame in Phoenix to watch a spring training game for Rianne’s birthday. Rockies v Diamondbacks.

I also got one of my favorite visitors to come see me, Gia! She visited me in Yellowstone, came to Grand Canyon and has plans to visit me at every park I go to!

But of course, some of the best moments were after months of patience and waiting, being cleared to walk again. Here’s some photos and videos of that, from taking my first steps in a boot with a crutch, to walking to an Easter Service and walking in an ankle brace with sneakers.

When I first broke my foot, I was reaching out to people to share the news, and I connected with my Youth Pastor and close mentor Brie. In our phone conversation I said, “You know there is probably a reason out of all this that I just don’t know yet.” And Brie’s response really resonated with me. She said, “NO! There’s no reason that you broke your leg. That’s silly. But there will be good things that come out of it that you can find reason in. Maybe some character development, a change in how the government handles cases or just time with family that you may not have gotten otherwise.” Breaking my leg, gave me time with family, 1:1 time with my parents, something that has been very minimal since I graduated college and embarked on my park ranger career. It gave me time to slow down, and reframe my perspective. It has been one of the most challenging experiences I have gone through, but I am grateful for the good things that came from it, and I am ready to close this chapter and enjoy what’s next.

After my season ended at Grand Canyon, I stayed in housing for 2 more weeks, focusing solely on my recovery. Michael came and met me in the park, we had some wonderful adventures and exploration together. I was able to do things with him I hadn’t been able to do for months, which included his first visit in January.

After a wonderful few days in the park, we said bye to Grand Canyon and embarked on our next adventure, a new state, a new park, but together. Zion National Park in Utah. And let me tell you, I am thrilled for what this next 6 months has in store for me.