Facing the Storm: How Wanderlust Brought My Journey Full Circle
One of The Rural Gone Urban Foundation's three pillars is supporting rural entrepreneurs and business owners. At the 2025 Wanderlust, the Foundation featured rural makers, at no charge, simply to shine the spotlight on their talents.
When I was presented with the opportunity to be a vendor at the Wanderlust Gala, it was a without hesitation, YES! Yes to supporting brave and strong women, yes to a 90’s country cover band, and yes to living out a rare and beautiful full circle moment.
In 2019, at the ripe age of 30, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Did I mention when I received that diagnosis, I was also in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy? 30 really said, “Hold my beer…”
Within 24 hours of me going public with the news, I received texts and DMs all telling me I had to get in touch with Rural Gone Urban, AKA Brooke Taylor. Since then, Brooke and I have sent countless messages trash-talking cancer and first marriages while bonding over our love of raising feral babies and dark humor—facing an expiration date while in your 30’s and bald will do that to you.
Haley Davenport at Wanderlust 2024
Haley Davenport and her favorite humans: her children. 2019.
During the last 6 years, I have fought cancer while growing a perfectly healthy baby boy, discovered that you can still breastfeed after surgically being thrust into menopause, and that survivor's guilt is a never-ending rollercoaster with infinite steep drops. I fled a dark and tumultuous marriage that was exemplified by how I finally left—from the police station, in the middle of the night, with 2 kids, 3 toothbrushes, and $0.00 to my name.
With her world upside down, this 32-year-old moved into a bedroom at her mom’s with her 10 and 2-year-old, where she battled feelings of relief and deep embarrassment. Starting over at my age had me paralyzed by fear. It felt impossible to get out of bed most mornings. Teary-eyed, I would beg the Holy Spirit to give me enough strength to just make it through one more day.
Standing here today, I can clearly see that God allowed all of that undoing so that my foundation would be deeply anchored in Him, in preparation for the rebirth of my entire existence. A rebirth that led me to beautiful souls like Brooke, a home that is filled with peace, grace for myself and others going through the human experience, and a career that I have been dreaming of since the 4th grade.
Steel Marie Collective came from a fire in my soul to use the gifts God had put in me, my heart for women, a natural desire as a mother to be home with my kids (even as a single mom), and to be a guiding light for women who might not realize there is a way through the storm.
Haley Daveport | Steel Marie Collective
During the Wanderlust, Brooke spoke about why the bison is part of the foundation's logo; her explanation had me in tears.
When a storm is coming and all of the other animals turn and flee, the bison turns and faces it. Tears started pouring down my face as I felt God’s presence fill the room in that moment. The Rural Gone Urban Foundation isn’t just love bombs, scholarships, and grants. It is a hub for women who need to be seen and loved exactly where they are.
Haley Davenport and her parents | Steel Marie Collective
Bringing my small business that was built while riding out rain, sleet, hail, and a couple of EF-5s to a gala for a foundation that supports brave and strong women facing the storms of life head-on… Full. Circle. Moment.
