Background

Haren was born and raised Braddock Island. She was adopted by William and Helena Price, and raised on their farm alongside her big brother, Parker. In her early years, she often played with her brother and dad in the woods and helped them care for the animals. When she wasn’t with her brother, she was with mom or dad. Helping Mom in her garden or cuddling up together, reading books like The Hobbit and The Princess Bride. She enjoyed helping Dad by picking the low-hanging fruits in the orchards. And playing hide and seek when work was done. These were happy times, but they wouldn’t last. Before her parents bought their farm, William was a career soldier in the Army. A few months after Haren’s twelfth birthday, he re-enlisted to fight alongside his brother Nicholas in the Gulf War. The day he left is etched in Haren’s memory. She pleaded for him not to leave, but he wasn’t going to leave his brother to fight alone. He promised to call or write as much as he could and that he would be back soon. It was hard without him; she’d never separated from any of her family for so long. And the letters and calls became the highlights of her days. until one day he stopped calling. One late afternoon, a military officer knocked on the door. William had been killed in action during Desert Storm. Haren stood frozen, struggling to understand what the man had said. Her mother’s wailing lost volume in her ears as the world seemed to lose focus. Tears in her eyes, Haren fled to her room without so much as a whimper. For days, Haren was in shock, not eating much, hardly speaking, and seeming to wander and look around the farm aimlessly. The once vibrant and carefree girl had become a shadow. Once filled with laughter and joy, the farm felt cold and empty. Helena tried to be strong for her kids, especially Haren, who needed her support most. Despite her efforts, the weight of the grief and stress was overwhelming, and she often fell ill. Months passed. Helena’s condition worsened, struggling to keep up with the demands of farm life and her children. Though Haren eventually returned to her routines, the pain lingered, and she remained withdrawn. When her uncle Nicholas returned from service, Haren clung to him, desperate not to lose him too. But tragedy struck the family again. Helena, worn away by grief and illness, passed away in her sleep. Her loss shattered Haren, who became more withdrawn as the world no longer seemed to make sense. And couldn’t bring herself to speak, even to her brother and uncle. Once again Haren found solace in sinking into routines and visiting the spots where she remembered her parents vividly. Enjoying their presence, even if imagined.  Her brother would become her legal guardian and inherit the farm.  Despite constant therapy over the next few years, Haren would never speak again. instead resorting to writing on paper and learning sign language alongside her brother. Together, they tried their best to hold onto the legacy their parents built. Aided by their uncle and several family friends. One day, while hiking through the woods, Haren met Valerie. Despite not being able to speak and Valerie sucking at charades, the two became fast friends. Haren taught Valerie ASL, and Valerie helped Haren out of the shell of her frozen grief. Finding a new appreciation for life. The pair became best friends as they adventured on the island or as Val stayed over on the weekends.  Valerie soon taught Haren how to sew as a new hobby and coping mechanism, which Haren took to in earnest. When Haren finished school, she opted not to enroll in university. Instead, focusing on the family farm and business and doing small-time community outreach.