Last week at the N Bar, we watched Alexzandria do exactly what she has always done in life, show up calm, prepared, and strong when it mattered most.

We spotted the elk from over half a mile away and made a careful stalk in, using steady terrain and a constant 20-30 mph Montana wind to our advantage. The wind helped mask our noise, but it also meant we needed to close the distance. We worked our way to just over 300 yards to make sure the shot was safe and ethical.

When the moment came, Alexzandria settled in like a pro. She ran the rifle confidently, took her time, and made a perfect shot. The impact was clear on video. The cow went roughly 20 yards and was down within seconds.

It was clean, controlled, and impressive to watch. Not to mention it was the fastest Outdoor Dreams hunt on record. 

Alexzandria and her mom, Lisa, were an absolute joy to spend time with. From the moment they arrived in Montana, their gratitude, positivity, and excitement for the opportunity never wavered. They did not take a single second for granted.

Alex also got lucky with the weather, with temperatures nearly 80 degrees warmer than the same day the year before. For Montana, that is about as good as it gets in January. 

What made this hunt even more special was what came after. Alex and her family love processing their own animals, and it meant a lot to see photos roll in once they were home, packing meat, sharing it with family, and already enjoying meals together. That connection to the full process, from field to table, is something we deeply respect.

Alexzandria is 21 years old and from Texas. She is strong, independent, and has fought stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma not once, but twice. First diagnosed at 17 during COVID, she endured treatment no child should ever face. Just as she was reclaiming her freedom and her future, cancer returned when she was 19. She spent her senior year in doctor’s offices instead of on the basketball court, ultimately losing a scholarship she had earned.

Through it all, she never stopped showing up for others, especially her twin sister and younger siblings, cheering them on at games even while navigating chemo and radiation herself.

Hunting and the outdoors have always been a place of peace for Alex. Even during treatment, she stayed connected to the woods. That quiet, that purpose, that sense of normalcy matters more than most people realize. 

We are incredibly grateful to the owners of the N Bar Ranch for continuing to open their property to Outdoor Dreams kids. Their generosity and trust make experiences like this possible, and the relationship we have built with them means more to us than we can put into words.

Thank you to guides Josh Sanofsky, Ted Allison, Russ Smith, and Founder and President Conlan McConnell for their patience, professionalism, and care in the field, and for helping create an environment where Alexzandria could settle in, feel confident, and succeed.

And finally, thank you to Alexzandria and Lisa for trusting us with this experience. Watching Alex succeed out here, calm, capable, and grateful, was something none of us will forget.

This is why we do what we do.

If you would like to help us create more experiences like this, please consider supporting Outdoor Dreams through donations, volunteering, or helping us connect with deserving children and families.