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Rising star wrestler overcomes tragedy in Wrangell | INDIE ALASKA

Two images of a young woman wrestler wearing red.
Della Churchill leads the Wrangell high school wrestling team as the team captain. (Valerie Lake/Alaska Public Media)

Wrestling is more than just a sport for young people living in many parts of rural Alaska. In Wrangell, the high school wrestling team is dominating the competition. Della Churchill leads the coed wrestling team as the team captain despite surviving tragedy in her family and in her small Southeast Alaskan community. Della's resilience, gratitude, and compassion for others have shaped this athlete into a powerful force in her community.

Production support provided by
The Alaska Mental Health Trust
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The videos capture the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these stories present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.

Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.