Waterfalls, Sailfish, and Women Warriors

As International Women’s Day was incoming, four women arrived in Costa Rica for the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience. Each year, Freedom Alliance hosts dozens of events that include combat veterans, but this one is dedicated solely to women who wore the uniform and engaged in combat.

Three of our women veterans served in the Army—two in Military Police and one in Explosive Ordinance Disposal. Amanda M. and Johanna L. served together on a deployment to Afghanistan as MPs and have remained friends ever since.  Cristina is a bomb technician who served seven years in the Army and deployed to Iraq in 2009.

Amanda said, “It is different when you surround yourself with people who have been through similar trauma. The sacrifices we made for our country and for each other are a bond that we will forever cherish.”

In addition to the veterans, Freedom Alliance’s staff member Diane Morris-Davie attended. Diane is a Gold Star widow, whose husband tragically died in a helicopter training accident. Diane’s daughter, who received a Freedom Alliance college scholarship (and recently graduated), attended the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience in December 2020, right after the country’s border reopened—our first event after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The four women arrived at Los Sueños Resort & Marina, located on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, to check in to their condos, where they would lodge for the duration of their stay. Charles and Sharon Miller of Texas and Gerald and Virginia Lindholm of Colorado each donated a condo for the week. Golf carts, donated by Gato Gordo Golf Cart Rentals, were parked at each condo to enable transportation within the resort.

After getting settled, we met with John McLean at the marina’s Hook Up restaurant to be officially welcomed to Los Sueños. The resort gives us a generous discount for each meal, and good folks like McLean offer to cover the remainder of the bill.

Their program began with a trip to Nauyaca Waterfall, located about two and a half hours from the resort. The nature park includes a short hike to a tall, cascading waterfall, where the women jumped into the refreshing pool at its base. For lunch, we stopped at a local family-owned restaurant for a traditional Costa Rican meal.

Back at the resort, we began the first of seven group sessions aimed at helping our veterans understand the burdens of combat and carry them better. The curriculum is based on the model presented in the book Warrior’s Return and was developed with the help of the author, psychotherapist Dr. Edward Tick. 

The next day, Captain Kevin Dunn of the 68-foot Viking Ragin Cajun took the group out for a day of offshore fishing. The yacht is owned and was donated by Sam Friedman of Louisiana. The overcast weather was quite unusual for the time of year, but the cloud cover made for a cooler day on the water.

The women were given Anetik performance hoodies and Hook Optics sunglasses—both companies partner with Freedom Alliance to outfit our veterans with gear made especially for offshore fishing. The anglers caught five sailfish that day—a first-time experience for all of them!

The following day, they were given a discount to ride ATVs at Vista Los Sueños Adventure Park from it manager and our friend Billy Johnson. The expedition involves fording small creeks while riding through the jungle, and it ends at a small waterfall in the mountains.

Halfway through the event, Johanna shared how when she video-called home in the States, people noticed how much she was smiling.

Later that afternoon, Pam Harlow, owner of Serenity Spa at the boutique hotel Villa Calletas, donated hour-long massages. After de-stressing, we spent some time exploring the unique hotel’s grounds and pools, which are situated on a ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The remainder of the day was dedicated to our group sessions. For dinner, we met with supporter Andrew Shapiro, who hosted the women to a dinner at a local beachfront restaurant. Joining him were Butch Kross and Joe Natoli of New Jersey, who met us for breakfast and covered the remainder of our meal costs. 

The next day—their last in Costa Rica—the women were treated to another tour: the paradisiacal Isla Tortuga on Costa Cat Cruises. The company’s owner, Jim Kitchell, donated the tour, and we boarded the 55-foot catamaran for a 45-minute ride across the Gulf of Nicoya to the island. Although relaxing in recliners comprised the bulk of the day, the tour also included snorkeling, hiking, and a gourmet lunch served on the island. During the hike, we came across some local wildlife: iguanas, lizards, deer, pigs, and a not-timid armadillo that paid no attention to us. 

Amanda and Johanna, who served together in Afghanistan, created a special flag that features Lady Liberty (the same image tattooed on Amanda’s leg) and states, “Thank you for serving those who served.” They gave the flags to each donor who contributed to their special trip. 

Amanda said, “Freedom Alliance has reminded me that we are loved and cared about. But most importantly, that people care about our well-being and reintegration back into life after war. Without your amazing donors and support, I would not have realized how much we are truly appreciated.”

Upon returning from the island, the women spent an hour relaxing at one of the many pools in Los Sueños—an infinity pool that looks out over the resort.  We finished the day with our final sessions and gift presentations. 

“There are wounds that warriors carry that are not visible to the naked eye,” Amanda said. “Everyone’s trauma is different. It is the support from programs such as Freedom Alliance that provides a safe place/judgement-free zone to heal these wounds, a community to reach out to and talk to when in need, and resources to help with coping with our wounds.”

Cristina said, “The trip I took with Freedom Alliance and the women’s veterans Offshore Experience was amazing! The days were filled with fun activities, good food, and wonderful people to enjoy them with. The deep-sea fishing was a one-of-a-kind experience on a crazy-amazing 68-foot yacht, fitted for catching marlin, sailfish, mahimahi, and other common fish found off the coast of Costa Rica.

“I had a great time going through the Freedom Alliance workbook during our evening sessions and learning more about the other veterans, myself, and the parallel between being military and being a warrior. This trip is a great way to share a great experience with other veterans while learning new ways to open up about your own military experience.”