LAKE TAHOE, Calif./ Nev. — Susan Norman has spent her life navigating wild rivers — from the Ozarks to the world stage. But no stretch of whitewater could have prepared her for the challenge she faced at 56: raising a four-year-old nephew as a first-time parent.

“I had a very happy, child-free adventurous life with a community of friends who also didn’t have children,” Norman said. “It was like going off a hundred-foot waterfall into class five whitewater with class two skills.”

In her new memoir, Risk: A Life Saved by the River, Norman reflects on this dramatic life pivot — from elite whitewater racing to parenting after menopause — and how the wilderness gave her the strength to survive it. The book traces parallel journeys: her rise as a pioneering female competitor in slalom kayaking and whitewater rafting, and her unexpected path to motherhood shaped by personal and family trauma.

“I couldn’t let this child go into foster care,” she said of Seth, her nephew. “I know what it feels like to be scared and lose people.” Norman took Seth in after her brother was no longer able to care for him.

Norman, a former hydrologist with the U.S. Forest Service in Lake Tahoe, had long channeled her own childhood trauma — including the loss of her mother to rapid-onset multiple sclerosis — into outdoor adventure. Raised by a single father who turned to rivers for solace, Norman learned early on that wild places could provide a sense of peace.

“Wherever we lived — and we moved around a lot — I didn’t feel safe,” she said. “But as soon as we’d get in the car with the canoe and head to the river, I would feel peaceful and calm.”

That connection to nature became a lifeline when she stepped into her new role as guardian. Seth was mostly non-verbal and emotionally shut down when he arrived. Norman quickly found that time outside helped them both.

“I saw right away that when I got him outside, things were happening for him,” she said. “He would play with the dogs, be fascinated with sticks and rocks — it was so healthy for both of us.”

Today, the two live in South Lake Tahoe with Norman’s partner Lisa and their two dogs. Seth, now 15, recently finished his freshman year at South Tahoe High School. Norman credits his progress in part to the school’s theater program and the support of the local arts community.

“His passion is music and theater,” she said. “We’re so lucky to live in a place where that kind of creativity can be nurtured.”

Writing Risk was a challenge in itself. After years of scientific reporting in her Forest Service career, Norman had to relearn how to write — this time with heart. She joined a local writing group led by Nevada County’s Poet Laureate, Karen Terrey, who helped her translate her emotional experiences into narrative form.

“I began writing my memoir soon after I retired and took on parenting,” Norman said. “Risk is not just a memoir — it’s a testament to resilience. It’s the story of how I used lessons from the river to confront the effects of childhood trauma, both for myself and for my nephew.”

The book blends high-adrenaline scenes of international whitewater competition with intimate moments of parenting struggle, healing, and self-reflection. At its core, Norman says, the story is about the importance of taking “good risks” — ones that teach, stretch, and strengthen a person.

“Life requires resiliency because you never know when something unexpected is going to knock you off your feet,” she said. “But taking on challenges in manageable steps — and knowing failure is part of the process — makes those challenges less daunting.”

“For me,” she added, “the river, nature, and adventure sports were my grounding force. They gave me tools to face parenting and trauma — and they saved my life.”

Norman’s life continues to flow in that direction. She coaches youth paddlers, serves on the board of the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and remains active in public lands advocacy. Her next writing projects will explore the power of wild environments and sport to build emotional strength.

Risk: A Life Saved by the River is available at local bookstores and online. Norman will appear at several public events, including a launch celebration at Cuppa Tahoe Bookstore and Cafe in South Lake Tahoe on June 26, and several other events in July and August. A full schedule is available on her website. 

Zoe Meyer is a reporter for the Sierra Sun, a sister publication for Tahoe Daily Tribune. She can be reached at zmeyer@sierrasun.com.