Sartaj Singh
Transporting us to the Boreal Forests of Alaska, ‘Outlast’ is a Netflix reality show that follows four teams competing against each other to survive the longest in the brutal wilderness. Each group, initially made up of 4 team members, must build a fire, gather food, and strategize to ensure that they have a chance at winning the million-dollar prize. Season 2 saw the Bravo team make a great start by quickly lighting a fire, locating a source of fresh water, and working in tandem with one another. However, Emily Johnston, the only woman in the group, felt unheard and struggled to get her ideas across to the team. Feeling isolated and out of place, she jumped at the opportunity to welcome Bri Walston onto the team when she walked into their camp.
With Bri onboard, Johnston had a much better time and became more assertive with her ideas. An ambitious plan of hers involved building a raft and using it to paddle to the central island. She managed to reach it and secured luxury resources. However, the stronger current pulled her out of the channel on the way back. With her strength and motivation depleted, Johnston called for assistance and flared out of the competition, leaving Bravo with some vital information.
Emily Johnston Learned Wilderness Survival in the Early Days of Her Career
A data analyst by profession, Emily Johnston thrives in natural surroundings, having taught courses in navigation, wilderness survival, and outdoor adventure education. She completed her studies at Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities. During her student days, she would often travel to wilderness locations as a part of CORE (Conservative and Outdoor Recreation Education), fueling her interest in outdoor adventure.
Johnston began working part-time as a Camp Counselor for Culver Academics in 2009, training and teaching children between the ages of nine and seventeen. She continued her leadership work in WWOOF New Zealand as a volunteer. She went on to work for Comunidad de Madrid as an English instructor before becoming the English program manager at CIFP Someso in 2019. Since 2022, she has been working full-time at Garmin as a data collection analyst. The company is based in Olathe, Kansas, and Jhonston works in a hybrid capacity.
Johnston Ventured Westward on a Solo Trip and Relived Old Memories
Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Emily Johnston frequently treks across its surrounding reserves and peaks, joined by a supportive community. In March 2024, the data analyst went on a solo road trip westward, racking her off-roader bike on the back of her car. As she revealed on the show, the Colorado resident loves to spend time by herself in nature and thrives in moments of peace and mindfulness. Solo camping in the Moab desert of Utah, she thought back to 11 years ago. She and her classmates had trekked through the Utah desert and mountains for three weeks, even canyoneering across its waters. While there in March, she hiked through the Zion National Park, beholding the grandeur of its steep red cliffs.
Greatly enjoying her journey, Johnston reached Lake Amistad in Texas by April and continued further. To watch the Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, she ventured to the Texas-Mexico border town of Del Rio, as it hardly ever rains there, but funnily enough, it was overcast. She then visited her father for his 60th birthday, and the two went trekking, taking in the scenic beauty of the verdant valley in Boulder.
Johnston Shares Her Love For Outdoor Adventure With Family and Friends
Emily Johnston is married to Neal Fox, who is a senior software engineer at Rx Savings Solutions. The two celebrated five years of their marriage in July 2024 and parent a puppy named Mattie. Fox is a bicycling enthusiast, and the two often explore biking trails together, even riding Tandem. They reportedly moved to a new home in May of 2024 and visited Indiana University Bloomington, hiking through surrounding forests in the same month. Johnston has a younger sister named Jade, who also joins her on hiking and biking trips, and an elder sister, Maggie, who has made her an aunt.
In June, the ‘Outlast’ participant went on adventure activities in the Rocky Mountains, crossing a river and making sure she enjoyed the process with some antics. In a moment of pride, she also announced that she and her father were qualified users of the Brainard Cabin in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area of Roosevelt National Forest. Staying at the historical cabin dating back to 1928, they felt honored to help preserve the site after receiving training from the Colorado Mountain Club.
Read More: Deontre “Tre” Thomas: Where is the Outlast Contestant Now?
