This spring and summer, I’ve been out of commission due to a chronic condition I’ve lived with for over eight years. I’m not going to get into details, but the whole ordeal spiralled quite badly, culminating in surgery that I’m currently recovering from. The good news is that I’m cured, and will be able to lead a normal life going forward.
I’m not one to go fishing for sympathy, and that’s not why I write this. Rather, I want to express my gratitude to the staff and board at the NFCT and the greater paddling community. My job is amazing. I get to talk to paddlers from all over the country — the world even — and I get to share your stories on our platforms. I get to help spread the word about the amazing work our stewardship crew performs, and I get to see you at our races and events. It’s been so hard to be disconnected from y’all during the peak of the paddling season.
I want to thank Karrie, Noah, Marthe, Jordanna and all of our trustees and partners for helping to pick up the slack while I’ve been gone. I also thank all of the folks who tried to connect with me with questions or other needs for giving me the space to heal and get back on my feet. Sadly, it’s not as common as we’d like to imagine that a work environment is this supportive and nurturing — the NFCT community is truly special.
As I sit here, catching up on emails and easing back into work, I’m restless to get back on the water. It will happen soon enough, but for now I just want to extend my thanks to all of you. I can’t wait to see you. I’m quite lucky.
