An Espanola woman was recently the second runner-up on an outdoor survival reality television show filmed in the Canadian Arctic.
Kielyn Marrone, 33, was one of 10 participants and the only Canadian competing for $1 million US on season seven of History channel’s Alone.
Contestants attempted to survive the extreme conditions of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories for 100 days.
Survivalists brought 10 items
The Ontario expedition operator and her cast mates could bring 10 items. Her list included snare wire, a fishing line and hook, gill net, axe, pot, sleeping bag, paracord, ferro rod, bow and arrow, and a multitool.
Pennsylvania’s Roland Welker was revealed as the winner in the Aug. 20 finale. Marrone, who lasted 80 days, took to Facebook just before the final episode aired.
“Tonight is the night you all get to find out how my story ends, which is a huge weight that will be lifted off of my shoulders,” she wrote, thanking her sister, Welker, and her cast mates. “Thank you all who are following us on this crazy journey.”
Courage, resolve displayed
Her husband, Dave, took to the platform to say how proud he was of his wife.
“I was proud of her the moment she decided to lay herself bare to the world in taking on this challenge. I was proud when she passed her first week out there and blown away when she continued on for weeks and months,” he wrote.
“Kielyn displayed such incredible courage, tenacity and resolve, but also so much love for those of us waiting at home.”
Couple lead expeditions
The Laurentian University grads live on a wilderness base camp west of Sudbury, where they have operated a traditional winter camping and travel company, Lure of the North, since 2011.
Past seasons of the show have been filmed on Vancouver Island, in Patagonia, and northern Mongolia.
Kielyn spoke to CBC Sudbury and History.ca earlier this summer about the experience.
Not saying I could have done this but what finally made her give up was emotional weakness. She could have gone on to tie the winner and was almost there.