[Transcript]

Emma Gatewood’s Epic Journey

Okay, so I want to tell you the tale of one extraordinary woman. Imagine that you're walking all alone, deep in this forest. Not along this well-paved road, but along a narrow trail, and it's kinda hard to see sometimes.

There are seldom any other people around, and there could be wild animals anywhere. Maybe it's getting late, and you have to find a place to sleep, because it's a long journey. And sometimes, there's nothing more to sleep on than a soft patch of moss.

That's what Emma Gatewood faced when she became the first woman to through-hike the entire Appalachian Trail back in 1955. Now, walking the trail in and of itself is a remarkable feat. But you want to hear what's even more impressive? She was 67 years old! Now, if you saw Emma, you might think that she looked like a stereotypical old lady.

Hiking Against All Odds

She had gray hair and wire-rimmed glasses. But despite her unassuming appearance, Emma was a determined and tenacious woman. For one thing, she tackled the Appalachian Trail with no experience at long-distance hiking.

She didn't take a map or a tent. And she carried everything she needed in one small, self-sewn denim sack. Well, she must have at least had some good hiking boots, right? Nope, just a regular pair of Keds sneakers.

Granted, she wore through a few pairs along the way. But still, sneakers! According to her journal, she found the Shenandoah area to be more pleasant than a lot of other places on the trail. The mountains here aren't as steep, and she found some really nice people and places to stay.

Rise to National Fame

As she hiked to Maine, Emma became famous. Across America, folks were impressed with her grit and determination. Reporters and fans waited hours for her at stops along the trail.

People followed her story daily, in the newspapers and on television. They gave her the nickname Grandma Gatewood. Finally, after 146 days, she made it to the end of the trail, the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine.

In an interview after she finished, she said, I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was. But I couldn't and wouldn't quit. But maybe what everyone really wanted to know was, why? Why, at age 67, without any real experience or equipment, did she hike the entire Appalachian Trail? Her answer never varied.

She wanted to show herself that she could do it.

The Pain Behind the Strength

So, was there more to Emma's story? Well, though she never said it, and it was never mentioned in any of the press coverage at the time, Emma was a survivor of domestic abuse. Now, if this topic is triggering for you, I completely understand if you want to skip the rest of this track.

But I promise, I don't get too detailed, and there is a happy ending. You see, when Emma was just 19 years old, she married 27-year-old P.C. Gatewood. But P.C. did not stand for Prince Charming.

He turned out to be a brutal man, severely injuring Emma on many occasions. She raised 11 children, did all the housework, and whatever other work P.C. thought she ought to do, all under the threat of violence. When she could, Emma would take long walks in the woods.

The wilderness became her safe haven, a place where she could find relief from the pain, from feeling trapped. As time went on, P.C.'s abuse got even worse. Finally, something inside Emma snapped.

She ran away and never came back. After enduring 30 long years of a violent marriage, Emma managed to get a divorce. Now, it's important to understand that divorces, especially for women, were extremely rare back in those days.

It's also important to note that leaving an abuser is not an easy task either. But she did it. She raised her last three children all by herself.

And she was finally free. One day in 1949, at the age of 61, Emma read an article in National Geographic magazine about the Appalachian Trail. And she learned that no woman had ever hiked the entire trail solo.

So she said to herself, if those men can do it, I can do it. Now, her first attempt was a complete failure. She got hopelessly lost on the trail and had to be rescued by park rangers.

But did she give up? Of course not. She had a mission to show herself that she could do it. And so she did.

Legacy of Resilience

Isn't it incredible how one woman's journey can inspire so many? Grandma Gatewood's escape from abuse propelled her to conquer the Appalachian Trail and become a trailblazer for women everywhere. Her story reminds us that even in the face of adversity, we can find strength, reclaim our freedom, and achieve something extraordinary. You lose your path, you lose your spark Don't give up, hang on tight, don't be afraid Don't give up, it's gonna be alright, you're gonna be okay You're gonna be okay