Woniya Thibeault wasn't looking for an adventure of such magnitude, but when the opportunity to participate in Alone(R) Season 6 fell into her lap, she couldn't say no. Never Alone is the story of that journey.
Dropped into the Arctic wilderness-solo-as winter descended, Woniya intended not only to survive, but to thrive. With only a few tools and meager resources, she would need her survival skills, quick wits, and whole heart to make it through.
The skids scraped against the hard granite as the helicopter settled onto the barren peninsula. My fingers were shaking so badly from the adrenaline, it was hard to unbuckle my chest straps. Then, with one step down the ladder, I left the modern world and the rest of humanity behind.
I expected the land to be harsh and unforgiving, but I didn't expect that it would be so breathtaking.
Nor that I would fall instantly in love with it.
The northern wilderness kicked my butt repeatedly throughout the next three months, but each time it picked me back up, staggered me with its beauty, and showed me again how truly resilient I am.
My Arctic adventure could easily have been a grueling struggle, but by putting my trust in myself and the land, it instead became a beautiful journey to a deeper sense of connection and belonging.
In her debut memoir Never Alone: A Solo Arctic Survival Journey, Woniya shares how months of starving by herself in the Arctic wilderness brought more healing than suffering, and led to a deep sense of belonging and peace. Her story affirms the incredible strength of the human spirit and shows us that strength comes in many surprising forms. Never Alone's message is one of inspiration and learning to trust in ourselves and the land around us; embracing the wild and being wholly and beautifully human, flaws and all.
Never Alone will take you on an Arctic journey through challenges and triumphs, joys and heartbreaks, and leave you inspired and wanting more.
