Emily Boldroff spent 22 years as a paramedic. When the opportunity came to join 10KO’s Alaska Women’s Fishing Trip, she didn’t hesitate. The water has always been where she feels most herself. What she didn’t expect was how much the trip would reveal about what she’d been quietly carrying all those years.
We sat down with Emily to hear about her experience in her own words.
Why did you want to go on this trip?
“I wanted to go on this trip because being outdoors and near the saltwater has always been where I feel most alive and at peace. My heart is deeply tied to fishing, the ocean, and the rhythms of nature, and I knew that combining those elements with a chance to step away and reflect would be powerful. I was also excited about the opportunity to share this experience with other women, knowing how much connection and community can mean- something I’ve never truly had in my career, after my career, or in any part of my life before this trip.”
What did you expect to get out of it?
“I hoped to find rest, reflection, and renewal in the beauty of the outdoors, and I expected that being on the water would give me a sense of grounding and clarity. I also looked forward to connecting with other women who might share pieces of their journey that would inspire healing and growth in mine.”
How did the trip go?
“The trip exceeded anything I could have imagined. From the moments of stillness surrounded by nature to the joy of being out on the water, it all reminded me how much the outdoors restores my spirit. But what made it
even more meaningful were the women I shared it with — the conversations, the laughter, and the support created a sense of community that felt both healing and inspiring.”
What did you take away from the trip?
“I left with a renewed love for the simple but powerful gift of time outdoors, and a deeper connection to myself and to others. While I know this is just the beginning of breaking down many years of walls and being guarded, I realized I wasn’t even aware of the amount of healing I needed until spending time with these women. Over the 22 years I served as a paramedic, I’ve carried so much that I learned to suppress without even realizing it. This trip showed me how much I have held inside, and how important it is to allow myself space to heal. I am grateful that someone out there is watching out for us, because I now see that I haven’t been doing the self care needed to find balance. I came away with not just memories, but a sense of peace, hope, and friendships that I will carry with me always.”
More Than a Fishing Trip
Emily’s story is a reminder that healing rarely announces itself. Sometimes it arrives quietly. In the rhythm of the water, in the laughter of women who understand, in the simple act of finally allowing yourself to receive what you’ve spent a career giving to others. For those who serve, that permission can be the hardest thing to find.
For Emily, Alaska was where she found it.
