It would be hard to fathom that Joy Ryan, who is 92 years old, spends her nights in tents, climbs mountains, and rides rapids, but for her, all of these things are nothing but a normal part of her life.

In 2015, Joy and her grandson Brad Ryan embarked on the journey of a lifetime, which consisted of seeing all 63 national parks in the United States. At the time, Joy was in her 80s and working at a deli for the minimum wage in their hometown of Duncan Falls, Ohio, in the state of Ohio. However, she longed for more information.

According to Brad, 41, who shared his thoughts with PEOPLE, “She had a great, adventurous spirit but never really had the wherewithal to accomplish anything in her life.” “Her relationship to the world consisted mostly of watching the Travel Channel,” the author writes.

The Great Smoky Mountains had been on their itinerary for 2015, and they intended to go there. However, after their trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, they decided that they wanted to continue their trip.

“It was pouring rain when we arrived at the park at one in the morning,” adds Brad. “We were in the park.” “Even though she had never been in a tent before, she helped me set up the tent by holding the umbrella over me as I did it. We inflated the air mattress, and despite the fact that she did fall off it a few times while we were doing it, she smiled the whole time.”

The next day, Joy, who was 85 years old at the time, climbed her first mountain with her grandson.

“That’s really when I started to realize that she was giving me just as much as she felt I was giving her… not only from the experience, but also being on the road, talking to her through the night about her own struggles in life, really learning her story, and being able to get that inspiration for being resilient,” Brad says. “Not only from the experience but also being on the road, talking to her through the night about her own struggles in life, really learning her story and being able to get that inspiration for being

It is even more astounding when one considers how much the pair has triumphed over together.

According to Brad, “We had been alienated from one another for about a decade when I eventually made the decision to reach out to her and attempt to restore that connection.”

Following what Brad refers to as an “ugly divorce” between his parents, “I felt sad for my mom,” and “I felt betrayed just as my mom felt betrayed,” he continues. “It was an unpleasant divorce.”

During this time, Joy did her best to be there for her son, Brad’s father. According to Brad, “I believe that it is normal for mothers to remain with their sons.” “She more or less sank with the ship,” the narrator said.

The causes for estrangement may vary, but “bitter divorce” is a common issue, according to Dr. Robin H. Gurwitch, a psychologist and professor at Duke University Medical Center. She told PEOPLE the following: “It is extremely typical for people to experience negative feelings such as anger, grief, a sense of betrayal, and pain.”

She goes on to say that the duration of these circumstances might be indefinite, years, or even only a few moments.

In Brad’s case, it took the passage of ten years after the divorce for him to fully comprehend the gravity of the circumstance.

When asked about his grandma’s attendance at his sister’s wedding, he said, “She showed up for my sister’s wedding very much having to be carried in.” He was alluding to his grandma’s precarious condition at the time. “I was filled with dread due to the fact that we had been so close when I was a child.”

According to Brad, Joy was going through considerable weight loss in addition to extreme weariness, and her physicians were doing many tests on her to find the root cause of the mysterious sickness.

“Seeing her, I thought, ‘Wow, this is going to be the guilt that I have to take with me for the rest of my life; that I stopped speaking to this grandma who I was close to, and she’s about to pass,'” he continues. “This is going to be the shame that I have to carry with me for the rest of my life.” After the ceremony was finished, I was well prepared for the fact that I would not see her again.

On the other hand, Joy had a remarkable recovery, and Brad discovered that their once-treasured connection had not diminished despite the time apart.

The heartwarming reunion started when Brad called his grandmother and asked her to teach him how to bake banana bread.

In reference to the phone conversation with her grandson, Joy comments, “Well, that was unexpected.” “I had no idea you were going to materialize out of thin air like that, yet there you were. I would want to avoid a disagreement with any of my grandkids.”

After a few phone conversations, they decided to go on a short trek together in the area where they grew up. During this outing, she expressed to Brad how much she lamented the fact that she had never seen any of the country’s many natural treasures.

“It was a crushing revelation that she had been left behind and never got to see mountains, glaciers, deserts, and humpback whales,” he says. “And all of the things that we’ve now been able to color her life with.” [Case in point:] “It was a crushing revelation that she had been left behind and never got to see mountains, glaciers, deserts, and humpback whale

At this very time, the inspiration for their vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains was sown.

Joy explains that they just went on one excursion at a time.

She goes on to say, “I’m incredibly lucky to have a grandchild like I do,” which makes her feel even more grateful. “I wouldn’t give him up for anybody in the world.”

The Ryan family has now traveled to Hawaii, Alaska, and the Virgin Islands as part of their adventurous experiences. In all, they have driven about 50,000 miles. They found themselves surrounded by a herd of bison in Yellowstone National Park as they were traveling. They attended “Bear School” to learn how to avoid danger when traveling through Katmai National Park, which is home to grizzly bears. In Channel Islands National Park, they saw humpback whales and dolphins swimming close to them. They went to Great Sand Dunes National Park and rolled in the sand dunes there. In Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the rapids made for an uncomfortable trip for them. Even more impressively, Joy set a new record for the oldest individual to successfully finish the ziplining course at New River Gorge National Park.

Regarding his grandmother’s responses to each adrenaline-pumping adventure, Brad remarks, “All of these things we do, I look pale and afraid, but her endorphins are just floating.” “At one point, I glanced around, and she was sitting very next to an alligator, with her feet hanging in the water,” the narrator said.

When Joy and Brad had already completed about one-third of their journey, the internet began to take notice of them. Now, their combined Instagram account, which they call “Grandma Joy’s Road Trip,” has approximately 65,000 followers who are following along on their adventure and providing support for them. Because of their popularity, they have even been able to finance their more challenging journeys.

According to Brad, “it’s been a mix of kindness from the people and also from certain companies,” and he adds this about the donations.

After seven years, Joy and Brad are very close to finishing their trip, and there is only one national park remaining for them to visit: the National Park of American Samoa, which is situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Brad adds that there is a national park that is located on three of the islands that make up the United States territory.

Even though the two individuals do not yet have a sponsor for their journey, they have established a GoFundMe account in the hopes of raising enough money to make it to their objective.

Joy, who is 92 years old, attributes her current high level of energy to the fact that she and her friends continue to go on adventures.

Someone always says, “Is it just me, or does she seem noticeably younger than when you began when she was 85?” whenever I upload an image online. Brad says. “Also, it does not strike me as an example of an optical illusion. I got the impression that the adventures that we’ve had together have helped her find the proverbial spring of youth inside her.”

Joy and Brad had no intention of slowing down, despite the fact that their adventure may soon come to an end.

“At the ripe old age of 92, she finally has her passport in her possession,” Brad reports. “We need that in order to go to American Samoa, but we have a lot of friends in the northern hemisphere, and they tell us that Canada is beckoning us. I’ve always dreamt of bringing her to Africa, and she’s always wanted to travel to Ireland since she was a little girl.”

No matter where their travels take them, Brad and Joy will never forget how grateful they are for the opportunities that this experience has presented to them.

She adds, “He’s taken me places that I see on the Travel Channel, and I never dreamed I’d end up there.” “He’s taken me places that I see on the Travel Channel.” “This has been the most incredible adventure I’ve ever been on, and I’ve had the opportunity to see magnificent sights along the way.”

He continues by saying, “It has forced both of us outside of our comfort zone.” “I believe that’s something that’s vital for people of any age.”