When CJ Wilder returned home from his Outward Bound Canada (OBC) 21-Day West Coast Sea Kayaking & Surfing in 2024, his moms, Joan and Tricia, noticed something different. He wanted to talk about what he had done and shared stories about the people he had met and the challenges they had faced together. The family went through his photos, and even after he was home, new stories from the experience kept coming out. But what stood out most to Joan was the way CJ was looking ahead again.
“He was full of hope and dreams again about what he wanted to do next. Doors were opening, his passion was back,” she remembers.
For their family, that meant a lot, because the years leading up to CJ’s OBC experience had been difficult. When he was 12, he crashed while riding a OneWheel. A couple found him unconscious on the road with broken bones and teeth. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation, and eventually struggles with substance use.
CJ went through inpatient and outpatient treatment, while Joan and Tricia participated in family therapy as part of the process. As they looked ahead, they wanted to help their son find healthy ways to reconnect with the things that had always been part of who he was.
“CJ had always loved being outside, pushing himself and taking on challenges. We wanted to channel his passions in a healthy way going forward,” Joan says. “More importantly, so did he.”
Finding the right challenge in a different place
n 2024, CJ joined an OBC sea kayaking & surfing course. For Joan and Tricia, the appeal was simple: every day spent outdoors, doing something difficult and meaningful, was another positive day for their son.
“We knew that every day in a healthy and challenging outdoor environment is one more positive day. CJ is so loving and kind. As parents, we’re on the outside, just knowing how much he has to offer and wanting him to know how much he’s loved,” Joan says.
The course gave CJ an opportunity to put his love of the outdoors and of challenging himself into something positive, while navigating the demands of an outdoor journey alongside other young people. When he came home, the word that immediately came to Joan’s mind was “maturity.”
“He was excited to share his experience, and the details were magnificent,” she says. “That’s so meaningful as a family, especially after feeling broken. Being able to go through the photos and learn about his new friends and their experiences together. We are still hearing stories!”
She also saw her son looking forward again.
“Watching that transition in someone, especially when they’re young, is priceless.”
Three generations of Outward Bound experiences
For the Wilder family, turning to an Outward Bound experience wasn’t a new idea: CJ is the third generation of his family to participate in one. His grandmother completed a backpacking trip after undergoing brain tumour surgery. Years later, CJ’s uncle participated in a backpacking trip when he was around CJ’s age and facing similar struggles.
So when Joan and Tricia were thinking about experiences that might be meaningful for CJ, they already knew what an Outward Bound program had meant to other members of their family.
“It was a natural next step for us to explore, as we knew the lasting effect of Outward Bound,” Joan says.
Joan and Tricia also brought another perspective to CJ’s experience. Both competed in sport at the highest levels. Joan is an Olympian, while Tricia was a World Championships medallist in skeleton in 1990 and 1991. Their experiences as athletes have shaped the way they think about challenge, setbacks, leadership, and what helps a young person discover what they are capable of.
“Both of us agree that we were able to reach a high level of sport because we loved what we did. It was an intrinsic drive to succeed that happens over time. Losses, setbacks, or whatever you call them were learning experiences to build upon,” Joan says, adding that it’s much easier to get back up when you find a passion.
For Joan and Tricia, there were similarities between their experiences as athletes and CJ’s experience with OBC. The challenges were different, but both required perseverance, working with others, and continuing when things became difficult. They also saw parallels between the role of a great coach and the role OBC instructors can play in helping young people build confidence and independence.
“Ultimately, a great coach gives you the confidence you’re ready to be the best athlete without them, along with the wisdom that you can’t do it alone.”
A step in the right direction
Joan is careful not to describe CJ’s OBC experience as the one thing that changed everything. His journey included treatment, family therapy, the support of people who loved him, and, of course, his own desire to move forward. But she does see his OBC experience as an important moment along the way.
“I think it was a step in the right direction,” she says. “That might seem trite, but that particular fork in the road wasn’t an easy one. It changes everything going forward.”
A year after his OBC experience, CJ has reached another new beginning: he recently started university.
His grandmother took on an Outward Bound backpacking trip after brain tumour surgery. His uncle participated as a teenager during a difficult period of his own life. And in 2025, CJ became the third generation to find his own challenge in the outdoors.
For Joan and Tricia, his OBC experience was one part of a much bigger journey, but it came at a time when moving forward mattered deeply. It gave CJ another place to put his energy, his love of the outdoors, and his desire to push himself.
“He made a great step towards finding his best self.”
What could your next step look like?
For CJ, an OBC course offered a new place to challenge himself, connect with others, and build on his love of the outdoors. OBC youth courses offer young people opportunities to discover what they’re capable of through meaningful challenges and adventures in the outdoors.
Explore our youth courses and find the experience that’s right for you.
