She Vanished Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Then 2 Years On They Found Her Heartrending Notes

Deep in the woods of Maine, a forester is calculating the number of trees that sprawl thickly across the landscape. As he walks on, though, he suddenly ventures upon what looks like an abandoned campsite, complete with a damaged tent. Unknowingly, the man has uncovered the fate of a hiker who has been missing for two years. Then searchers finally come across the woman’s journal – and the words within make for truly heartbreaking reading.

Gerry's Dream

Geraldine Largay – known as Gerry – was 66 years old when she disappeared, and she had always wanted to traverse the Appalachian Trail. It is one of the world’s most famous hiking trails, after all, and it extends from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Raising Her Family

For much of her life, in fact, Gerry lived near the southern end of the trail in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she spent her days working as a nurse and bringing up a child with the love of her life, George. And after their daughter, Kerry, became an adult, the couple went on to relocate some 250 miles southeast to Atlanta, Georgia.

Community Involvement

In Atlanta, Gerry found many outlets for her passionate personality; she joined the Nature Conservancy, for one. The mom also attended a local newcomers’ group where she took part in all manner of activities, including hiking and quilting. All in all, then, Gerry was an active and engaged member of the community.

In Touch With Spirituality

And Gerry also had a spiritual side. Having previously taken up George’s Catholic faith, she often prayed during her adventures in the great outdoors. At other times, though, she enjoyed simply wandering through the woods, using a guidebook to identify the flora and fauna that she found.