Darren Palmer ’10 relies on a cocktail of tenacity and confidence he believes was fostered during his time at Trinity-Pawling. “The mentality of ‘I need to eliminate the things I don’t need to focus on right now’ is a pure representation of determination,” he says. Palmer’s fortitude was put to the test when he broke his wrist during his freshman year, but was still required to go to hockey practice. “I couldn’t play, but I’d skate. During games I ran the clock. My senior year, I coached fourth soccer.” But Palmer also appreciated the many mentors he had at Trinity-Pawling that kept checking in with him and kept him on track. “When I was able to push through those difficult times, I knew I could push through whatever would be placed in front of me.”
When a concussion sustained during a lacrosse game forced Palmer to once again redirect his participation during his first year in college, he drew on the strength he gained from his experience at Trinity-Pawling. Instead of dropping out altogether, he found new ways to be involved in the things he loved—filming lacrosse games, attending games in other sports, even becoming Alfred University’s first mascot. “That mentality of sticking with the team just transferred with me to college.” He graduated from Alfred in 2014 with a Saxon 6 Award, an accolade given to the six most influential seniors.
During his time at Trinity-Pawling he was inspired by faculty members’ stories of backpacking adventures, sailing, fishing in Alaska, and also his own experiences doing ropes course adventures as a junior. “That experience with friends in the outdoors made me want to continue to make memories like that,” Palmer recalls.
Done with school but not yet done with challenges, Palmer set his sights on completing the grueling 2200 mile Appalachian Trail. He was attracted to the simplicity of life on the trail. “Wake up, eat, walk, eat, sleep, repeat,” he says. Over the course of the trail he experienced both physical changes, losing almost twenty pounds and gaining a shoe size, and spiritual growth as well. “I learned to talk to myself the way I want others to. I became my own best friend.” Meeting hundreds of people from all over the world, Palmer was encouraged to become more open and trusting. “There is a primal connection we get from conversing with people through stories and thoughts,” he explains. “I hitchhiked into towns with complete strangers and heard some of the most interesting stories. I hiked with soldiers, amputees, a blind man, and a few dogs. Everyone added to my journey to paint such a beautiful memory.”
by Lisa M. Kelsey