Earlier this week, I wrote about an adventurous ATV ride I took in Costa Rica three years ago that literally changed my life for the better. It was something I'd never done before, something I wasn't good at, and something that scared the heck out of me, but I persevered (reluctantly), and it opened up my eyes to the fact that while giving so much to care for my mom over the previous decade, I'd let my world get so small that I didn't know how to enjoy it anymore.
I received some nice emails and comments from those of you who could relate or who were encouraged to do something similar, and a few not-so-nice ones about how you have no desire to take risks. And that's fine — that's your prerogative.
Taking risks, however, doesn't always mean just throwing caution to the wind. You need to be smart about it. And sometimes, you can do everything right and still end up in a bad situation. It's important to understand that, too, but that's also just a part of life. Bad things can happen to you, whether you're on the side of a mountain with a stranger in a Costa Rican jungle or sleeping in your bed at home at night.
Unfortunately, for a 30-year-old California woman, it's looking more and more like her risk-taking in Costa Rica did not pay off.
Recommended: The Ride That Changed Everything
Ashley Nicole Phillips of Santa Clarita was no stranger to Costa Rica, according to her stepfather, and had been there several months. She was staying at Heaven On Mother Earth (HOME), a 55-acre regenerative sanctuary jungle retreat in Diamanté Valley near the Nauyaca waterfalls in Pérez Zeledón.
From what I understand, she was taking part in some sort of yoga and wellness retreat that was heavily focused on immersion in nature. Her family called it "living her best life on her own terms." On June 3, she went for a solo hike to the waterfall, something she apparently did routinely, but she never came back. On June 7, she was reported missing to the OIJ (Costa Rica's judicial investigation agency, which is sort of like our FBI). For days, authorities and volunteers searched the area.
I've written about several American citizens "missing in paradise" or "murdered in paradise" in recent months — so much so that it's starting to feel like a series. There was:
- The guy who went missing in Turks and Caicos last year: When an American Goes Missing in Paradise
- The guy who was murdered in Costa Rica earlier this year: An American Murdered in Paradise — A Sign of Something Bigger?
- The woman who went missing in the Bahamas this spring: Accident or Murder? Another American Missing in Paradise
- The guy who was caught up in a cartel shoot-out in Mexico recently: Wrong Place, Wrong Time: American Man Caught in Cartel Shootout Dies
What sets this story apart is that all of those had a human element. While we don't know exactly what happened to Ashely just yet, it's highly likely that her story ended due to the power of nature rather than at the hands of evil men.
It's currently rainy season in Costa Rica, and the season is quite active this year. This month, the country has been under a Green Alert, as heavy rains, on top of already over-saturated soils, have increased the risk for flooding and landslides, especially in certain parts of the country, and especially in areas near rivers and waterfalls, where water can rise quickly and without warning. Due to its terrain, Pérez Zeledón is particularly vulnerable to flash floods.
And that's exactly what authorities believe happened to Ashley. On Thursday, June 18, a body was found in a river near the Nauyaca Waterfalls. While officials are awaiting an autopsy and DNA testing to verify that it is Ashley's, her stepfather has spoken out, saying that all signs indicate that it is. A cause of death hasn't been determined yet, but officials believe that it was water-related and not foul play.
