Every person who joins The Umbrella Project arrives with a different story, but they all share one thing in common: they’ve experienced a life-shattering loss.
Last fall, Wendelyn joined our Young Adult Backpacking Trip after the sudden death of her dad. Like many participants, she wasn’t sure she was ready.
As she shared:
“I learned about ThorpeWood’s Umbrella Project just nine months after my dad died suddenly. I registered without thinking too much of it; I was still walking through the thick of early grief, barreling toward the one-year anniversary.
As the October trip approached, I thought about pulling out. It was going to be my first time backpacking and I came up with a million reasons to cancel – fear, anxiety, discomfort. Still, I remembered that so much of learning to live with grief has been trial and error. So, despite my nerves, I went.”
The Umbrella Project isn’t about fixing grief or leaving it behind. It’s about creating space for people to carry it differently.
Wendelyn experienced exactly that.
“I won’t say the weekend erased my grief. Frankly, nothing could erase the sorrow I’ve felt since losing my dad. I have a fundamentally different view of the world, keenly aware of how things can change in an instant.
What this trip did do for me was reconnect me to my dad.”
As the group hiked together, memories she hadn’t expected began to return.
“It felt like at every mile, every time we set up camp, every break for a meal, these beautiful memories resurfaced of times spent outdoors with my dad. Hiking Old Rag on his shoulders, countless bike rides hitched behind him, whittling walking sticks around campfires. Even seeing a turtle on the trail brought back the memory of the one he ‘rescued’ for me as a child.
All those precious memories were tucked away inside of me. This trip unearthed them, and the people around me were a soft landing for both the beauty and pain of remembering.”
One memory from the trip stands out in particular.
“On our last night, I felt a sudden panic at how dark the woods were. I looked back to everybody sitting around the fire and saw seven people laughing and telling stories of joy, despite the darkness that surrounded them. At that moment, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and calm.”
That image captures so much of what The Umbrella Project hopes to offer. Grief doesn’t disappear. The darkness is still there. But when it’s shared with others who understand, moments of light can still be found.
Wendelyn’s journey ended with these words:
“I connected to my dad through connecting to others who just get it. There is a sacredness to grief, and I found that the trail was the perfect place to let it in.
I am beyond grateful for The Umbrella Project and for the people who were a part of it. Thank you for helping this program continue to grow and extending the opportunity for outdoor healing to other grievers for years to come.”
We’re deeply grateful to Wendelyn for allowing us to share her story. Her experience is a reminder that healing doesn’t mean forgetting. Sometimes it means rediscovering cherished memories, finding people who understand, and taking one step at a time on the trail together.
This year’s Fall Young Adult Backpacking Trip is scheduled for Friday, October 9th – Monday, October 12th, and we still have a couple of spots open. If you or someone you know could benefit from The Umbrella Project, please reach out today.
