A PRIDE PROFILE: ANNIE, THE KHAKI CLAD RENEGADE

- 2017-03-27

OUR GOALS IN LIFE CHANGE AS WE GET OLDER, BUT THE ONE CONSTANT THAT FOLLOWS US THROUGH MANY SEASONS? PASSION.

Most people don't follow their passions, but then again, Lee-Anne Davis isn't like most people.

Lee-Anne is a ranger and activist in South Africa's Kruger National Park. The job is a hard one that required passing an intensive around the clock 6 month long bush program that made at least a few of her fellow rangers in training wash out, pack up and head home. She stuck it out and became one of the 25 from her class of 30 to graduate and become a ranger. The odds of making it that far were stacked against her for two reasons:

She was one of three women in her class.
She was 30 when she started, a good 8 years older than the rest of her fellow trainees

"I think my age helped me as I was quite old to start becoming a game ranger. Most of the guys on the course were 22 or 23, just out of university, and they were into having these nice two-year stints in the bush. For me, this meant a career. This was my life."

Her passion for the Bush started when she was a child. Her parents would take the family camping and these trips would end with Lee-Anne never wanting to leave the park. She would camp in her backyard and take bucket baths on the porch; much to her parent's amusement.

All of this seemed to be adding up toward the Ranger Lee-Anne Davis we know today, but it almost didn't happen.

Finally reaching adulthood, she set out toward Los Angeles. A place as far away from the Bush as one could get. During her stay in Southern California, she found work as a model, acted in commercials, and took advantage of the SoCal life - like surfing in the morning, and snowboarding in the afternoon.

While she lived the La La Land dream, her passion for the outdoors never faded away.

"A friend of mine in LA said to me, 'Love comes and goes but passion lasts forever.' I thought about that quite a lot, and I still do. What it's taught me is that if you are in love with something, or if you do something that you're passionate about, and you love it and it just becomes your world, nothing else matters. That is something that no one will ever take away from you."

Lee-Anne's passion and drive have allowed her to carve out the meaningful life she is now living. As a ranger, she takes groups of tourists out into the wilderness. Her passion for nature spurred her into forming "Our Horn Is NOT Medicine", a non-profit that helps protect South Africa's endangered rhino population.

"As a nature lover, I believe it is very important to have a cause. Something that you love and believe is worth fighting for."

Taking the path that seems odd or strange will often lead us toward a life worth living. Lee-Anne was brave enough to leave a life many would want to chase down her passion. Her drive puts her ahead of the pack.