Largay family remembers Brentwood hiker
They never had a chance for a proper goodbye but now — nearly three years after Geraldine Largay first went missing in July 2013 while hiking the Appalachian Trail — the Largay family is sharing their thoughts as new details about the Brentwood woman's final days have come to light.
The Tennessean reached out to George Largay, Geraldine's husband of 42 years, earlier this week after the Maine Bureau of Warden Service issued a report that included messages the hiker known as "Inchworm" left for her family.
On Friday, the entire Largay family provided The Tennessean with a statement of remembrance, strength and love.
“Gerry Largay was a positive, vibrant, optimistic, enthusiastic and spiritual person. We miss her every day. She was, and still is, a beacon of light for her family and everyone who knew her, and her final days were a testament to her bravery, resourcefulness and her faith," the family wrote.
Largay's final days included several efforts to reach out to her beloved husband via text message, writing entries in her journal and various efforts to survive as long as she could. According to the newly released report, Largay built a bedding area using small trees, pine needles and some dirt and tried to burn some trees — possibly in an effort to stay warm.
When authorities found her belongings, they discovered a small journal that consisted of writings detailing her activities and notes to her loved ones. The journal provided a timeline of her thoughts and activities between July 22 and Aug. 10.
"When you find my body, please call my husband George and my daughter Kerry. It will be the greatest kindness for them to know that I am dead and where you found me — no matter how many years from now. Please find it in your heart to mail the contents of this bag to one of them," Largay wrote in her journal on Aug. 6, 2013.
It was unclear how long Largay remained alive after first getting lost on July 22. But according to the newly released report, she may have survived until at least Aug. 18 — the final entry she wrote in her journal — nearly three weeks after authorities had halted their search.
“Like Gerry, our family is strong and resilient and guided by our faith. While we grieve for Gerry, we do not second-guess any of the efforts to find her when she went missing. We witnessed firsthand the passion and commitment of the hundreds of game wardens and volunteers who searched for her," the family remembers.
The search for Largay, which was contained to a 14-mile area of the trail in the Carrabassett Valley region of Maine, involved more than 130 people — including dogs, horses, helicopters and ATVs — and lasted for 10 days.
Her body was eventually discovered in October 2015 by a forester. When authorities found her, she was about two miles away from the Appalachian Trail in an area that belonged to the U.S. Navy.
"Having hiked into the site where she died, we know how hard it would have been to find her," the Largays added.
On Oct. 28, 2015, the family, along with authorities, traveled to the location of Largay's final resting spot. They left a cross where her tent was found and left several mementos.
“Gerry was doing exactly what she wanted to do. She'd hiked a thousand miles — after 200 miles of training hikes the year prior — and as the warden's report indicates, she was lucid and thinking of others, as always, until the end," the Largays continued.
Largay, 66, was in the midst of making a 900-mile journey on the Appalachian Trail that began in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., on April 23, 2013 and was set to end in Millinocket, Maine.
“Gerry inspired everyone she came in contact with, and our purpose in sharing these comments is to honor her legacy. In thinking about the best way to have Gerry’s memory live on, we would encourage others to make a contribution to the two causes that would mean the most to her, the Maine Association for Search and Rescue, and the Nature Conservancy," the Largay family concluded.
Reach Joel Ebert at 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.