Send us a text

What do you do when the body you once trusted changes—but the desire to explore the world doesn’t?

In Episode 6 of Roam Alone, I sit down with Tracy, a traveler I first met as a tentmate while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in 2018. Back then, we bonded over thin air, heavy packs, and a shared love of going it alone. Years later, we planned to reunite for a trek to Everest Base Camp—until a cancer diagnosis changed everything.

After intensive radiation and chemotherapy, Tracy was left disabled. But instead of retreating from the world, she reimagined how she could move through it. At the end of 2025, Tracy embarked on a two-week solo journey through Europe, navigating accessibility and uncertainty — but on her own terms.

This episode is about resilience, independence, and redefining what adventure looks like when everything changes.

Time Stamps

· 00:00 — Meeting Tracy on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro

· 06:35 — Running a New Orleans half marathon solo after plans fall apart

· 09:52 — Joining the Peace Corps and moving alone to a small town in Ukraine

· 18:00 — A cancer diagnosis that changes everything

· 28:00 — Traveling solo through Europe while newly disabled

Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens.

Instagram: @theresaannstephens

Facebook: /theresastephens

Facebook: /RoamAlone