Jake Halpern (Host)

In fact, you may have noticed in Sarah's letter, she makes a reference to Jess. And that's because Jess is the one who found this story.

In fact, you may have noticed in Sarah's letter, she makes a reference to Jess. And that's because Jess is the one who found this story.

There's so much that we've learned since we first started talking to Sarah. So much else that she's told us. And we've spent the last eight months trying to figure out how much of her story is true. And what, if anything, we could trust. Because this story is all about trust. It's about what it means to know someone or think you know someone and what happens when reality itself seems to dissolve.

There's so much that we've learned since we first started talking to Sarah. So much else that she's told us. And we've spent the last eight months trying to figure out how much of her story is true. And what, if anything, we could trust. Because this story is all about trust. It's about what it means to know someone or think you know someone and what happens when reality itself seems to dissolve.

I'm Jake Halpern.

I'm Jake Halpern.

Part of the ethos of this retreat was you didn't brag about the past. You focused on now. And you exercised a lot. The whole point of this retreat was actually strength building. The vets built a platform that became their outdoor gym. They lifted weights here, did squats, deadlifts, power cleans. And apparently, they were also carrying giant slabs of rock up a mountain.

Part of the ethos of this retreat was you didn't brag about the past. You focused on now. And you exercised a lot. The whole point of this retreat was actually strength building. The vets built a platform that became their outdoor gym. They lifted weights here, did squats, deadlifts, power cleans. And apparently, they were also carrying giant slabs of rock up a mountain.

That woman you can hear saying, push it, that's Sarah Kavanaugh. We found this video of her on YouTube from this same retreat. She's in a sweaty gray tank top, has on these mirrored sunglasses and leather workman's gloves. She has blonde hair and a runner's build, slim and athletic.

That woman you can hear saying, push it, that's Sarah Kavanaugh. We found this video of her on YouTube from this same retreat. She's in a sweaty gray tank top, has on these mirrored sunglasses and leather workman's gloves. She has blonde hair and a runner's build, slim and athletic.

And that soft, inspirational music, that's in there because this is a promotional video for Patrol Base Abate. And in that video, we see Sarah giving an interview with the wild mountains of Montana in the background.

And that soft, inspirational music, that's in there because this is a promotional video for Patrol Base Abate. And in that video, we see Sarah giving an interview with the wild mountains of Montana in the background.

That's Natalie Markham. She was a clarinetist in the Marine Corps band, a self-described band nerd. At the time of the retreat, Natalie was struggling. She owned a CrossFit gym that had been hit hard during the pandemic, and she was worried that it might go bust. So for her, to be here in Montana, doing something she loved under the open sky with new friends, it was like she could breathe.

That's Natalie Markham. She was a clarinetist in the Marine Corps band, a self-described band nerd. At the time of the retreat, Natalie was struggling. She owned a CrossFit gym that had been hit hard during the pandemic, and she was worried that it might go bust. So for her, to be here in Montana, doing something she loved under the open sky with new friends, it was like she could breathe.

She asks someone to take a picture of her with Dex and Sarah to commemorate the moment.

She asks someone to take a picture of her with Dex and Sarah to commemorate the moment.

In the picture, the three of them are standing against the backdrop of the mountains, all flexing, biceps and triceps bulging. Natalie and Sarah are smiling. Dex is all business, serious as can be. And looking at the photo, I could kind of feel their energy. I'd never guessed they'd just met.

In the picture, the three of them are standing against the backdrop of the mountains, all flexing, biceps and triceps bulging. Natalie and Sarah are smiling. Dex is all business, serious as can be. And looking at the photo, I could kind of feel their energy. I'd never guessed they'd just met.

They look like they could be sisters, joking, competing, giving each other shit, like the Three Musketeers or something. Dex told us that this kind of camaraderie is not a given.

They look like they could be sisters, joking, competing, giving each other shit, like the Three Musketeers or something. Dex told us that this kind of camaraderie is not a given.