What does it mean to live fearlessly? For Brooke King, it means hitchhiking on trains through the Sahara Desert, tracking down floating grocery stores in Turkey, and planning an ocean row across the Mediterranean—all while battling thyroid cancer at age 29. Her story isn’t just about extreme adventures; it’s about embracing life’s challenges with purpose and determination.
Photos Courtesy of Brooke King
Born and raised in Chicago with an adventurous father who took her hunting and fishing from a young age, Brooke always had that thrill-seeking spirit. But it wasn’t until COVID-19 turned her world upside down that she fully embraced her adventurous side. As many fled the city during lockdowns, Brooke found herself alone in her Chicago home, contemplating what truly mattered in life. This moment of reflection became the catalyst for a complete life transformation—selling her house, embarking on alternative living arrangements from boats to school buses, and seeking experiences most people would never consider.
What makes Brooke’s story particularly remarkable is how she categorizes her adventures using what she calls the “fun scale.” Type one fun is straightforward enjoyment—like a relaxing day at the beach. Type two fun involves challenges that aren’t pleasant in the moment but become rewarding memories afterward—like an intense workout. Then there’s type three fun: experiences that aren’t enjoyable during or after, but make for incredible stories and valuable life lessons. Her journey through Mauritania on what’s known as the “Desert Snake”—the world’s deadliest train—falls somewhere between type two and three, depending on who you ask.
The confidence Brooke gained from these solo adventures served her well when faced with an unexpected diagnosis: metastatic thyroid cancer. Rather than allowing this news to derail her adventurous spirit, she approached it with the same determination that helped her navigate foreign lands alone. “I knew that I was a person that took action in problem situations and I can be calm and strong,” she explains. This mindset helped her advocate for herself within the healthcare system, accelerating a treatment timeline that doctors initially said would take 6-8 months down to just a few weeks.
Perhaps most inspiring is how Brooke has transformed her cancer journey into fuel for her next adventure. Currently training for a 72-hour rowing expedition across the Mediterranean from Barcelona to Ibiza, she’s using this challenge to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. What was already on her bucket list has taken on profound new meaning: “I didn’t want to just heal from cancer and get through it—I wanted to rise above it.” 
Brooke’s philosophy about adventure is refreshingly accessible. To her, adventure isn’t necessarily about exotic travel or extreme sports—it’s simply “intentionally trying something new.” It can be as straightforward as taking a local language class or learning a new skill. The key element is pursuing something novel without necessity—choosing growth and experience for their own sake.
As Brooke continues treatment while training for her Mediterranean row, her story reminds us that life’s greatest adventures often come disguised as our greatest challenges. By embracing uncertainty with courage and maintaining a relentless pursuit of joy, we discover strengths we never knew we had.
