Carol’s Companions
A Note from Stephanie
President & Founder, The Travel Crew
There are people who show up in your life at the exact moment you need them- people who see the heart of your work long before anyone else understands it. For me, for Megan, and for The Travel Crew, that person was Carol.
Carol was a voice in the space when most people didn’t understand what we were doing or why it mattered. She helped us learn the ins and outs of the airport. She got us our very first batch of sunflower lanyards. She invited me to sit in accessibility development meetings at Denver International Airport, and she cheered us on when we took our first group to Belize in 2021.
She supported something when most didn’t.
Carol passed away in May 2025, right before our Scotland trip. When she died, I remember thinking, I can’t do this without her. I felt that loss in every part of me and in every piece of this work.
She wasn’t with us in Scotland in the physical sense, but she was absolutely with me in the way I carried the work. Every decision, every conversation, every moment of advocating for our travelers… she was there in the way she taught me to lead; with love, joy, peace, patience, and self‑control.
Somewhere in that grief, I realized something true: because of her legacy, I will never do this work without her. She is woven into the foundation of The Travel Crew, into the way we show up for our travelers, and into the heart of every trip we take.
Carol’s Companions exists because of her. It honors the way she showed up for us by helping travelers who need financial support show up for the world. Her legacy lives in every traveler who gets to go, every airport we navigate with confidence, and every moment someone feels seen, supported, and welcomed into the Crew. And because of her, the sky’s the limit!
In loving memory of Carol — one of our fiercest believers.
Carol’s Legacy-
Carol was a connector, an advocate, and a steady voice in rooms where accessibility wasn’t always understood or welcomed. She could walk into a space full of tension and walk out with friends. She believed deeply in inclusive travel long before it was widely accepted, and she believed in the potential of this work with her whole heart.
Her legacy is one of courage, compassion, and unwavering belief in what’s possible when people are supported to explore the world.
About the Carol’s Companions Scholarship
The Carol’s Companions Scholarship was created to honor Carol’s legacy by opening the world for travelers who need financial support to join the Crew.
This scholarship helps cover:
Trip fees for travelers with financial need
Adaptive supports or accommodations required for safe travel
Activities and experiences that make each trip meaningful
Opportunities for travelers who are exploring the world- often for the first time
Every scholarship awarded is a continuation of Carol’s belief that travel should be accessible, joyful, and possible for everyone.
Not a traveler? Support the Legacy!
If you’d like to honor Carol’s legacy and help future travelers experience the world: Your gift keeps this fund alive and ensures that cost is never the reason someone stays home.
