Hannah Petersen says nature has always brought her peace in her darkest moments. So, at the height of COVID when she lost her brother to mental illness, that's where she retreated.
Hannah says she went on a hike a day after his death, and took her brother in spirit. She says he always thought himself as a lone wolf, but now she realizes he was never alone because there are so many who struggle emotionally.
She also decided to do an Ironman in her brother's honor. "I knew that training for an Ironman would not only force me into nature, it would help me process his death in a healthy way, all while keeping him close to my heart," Hannah says.
That's where her Ironwolf Project began. As she trained, Hannah says it led her to beautiful places that she never knew about, even though she grew up in Utah.
As she hiked the different trails, she would take painted rocks with wolves and messages of hope on them. Each time, she would leave one along the trail as messages of hope.
The Ironwolf Project helps her share those beautiful places on social media.
You can follow her on TikTok @theironwolfproject.
