The Atlas Obscura Podcast · Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Sue Aikens' solitary life in Alaska was profoundly shaped by her mother's pattern of abandonment. At age 12, her mother left her alone at a campsite near Fairbanks, Alaska, triggering deep-seated fears of being forgotten and a belief that she could only rely on herself.
“My mother went to town and didn't come back. I was alone. It's a feeling that would remain with me in some form for years to come. The fear of being completely and totally forgettable.”
“Sue's mother had been a source of chaos long before she left her daughter. She never told Sue who her father was, and she had a habit of unceremoniously leaving people behind, like the men she dated.”
“But eventually, Sue developed a worldview where she could only count on herself. It just came much earlier than she expected, standing alone at that campsite.”