5-Year-Old Minnesotan Visited 67 Waterfalls in 5 Months
5-year-old Wynn Radke's preschool got shut down due to COVID-19. Then, unfortunately, her mom, Colleen, got furloughed from her job (also because of COVID-19). That's when Wynn made the lofty goal to visit 67 waterfalls this summer.
Colleen had asked her daughter what kind of outdoor adventure she wanted to do this summer because they "'weren't going to sit around and watch YouTube all summer'" as Colleen told KARE 11. So Wynn pulled the number of 67 waterfalls out of the air. Colleen thought she said '6 or 7' at first and then realized what she ACTUALLY said. She eventually agreed to Wynn's crazy-sounding request and they were off!
Five months later, Wynn and her mom have officially visited 67 waterfalls across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Sometimes they even had to hike miles or camp overnight to accomplish the goal! The final waterfall was Winnewissa Falls at Pipestone National Monument.
The whole adventure actually turned into a very healing one. Of course, they needed to heal because of the shock and fear because of COVID-19 and Colleen being furloughed. Then Colleen was called back to work to only later be laid off after the store she worked at was looted during the George Floyd protests. And on top of all that, Colleen's "difficult divorce" from Wynn's dad was finalized during all of this. These two definitely needed this time together out exploring waterfalls!
Colleen is grateful for the healing and all the time she got to spend with her daughter. Wynn is just excited that she accomplished her goal.