January 2nd 2024.
Vanessa Forero has left her Bradford home to follow in her mother's footsteps and explore the wild. Her mother Marina Chapman has an incredible story of being raised by white-faced capuchins in the rainforests of South America after being left for dead, aged four, by traffickers.
Vanessa, 40, is now living in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a mountain range in Colombia. She will be featured in Channel 5 series Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild on Tuesday. She is accompanied by her dog, Sunset.
Vanessa has had an interesting career as a musician, writing and recording jingles and tribal pop songs. After the end of her 15-year marriage, Vanessa decided to pursue her life-long affinity with nature and explore the wild. She now describes herself as British-Colombian.
In the show, she told presenter Ben Fogle, “This is the first time I’ve felt a feeling of home and belonging. And the monkeys do come around. They howl a lot in the trees. They are really loud. I’ve also got a big cat somewhere.”
She and her mother Joanna had two daughters, Joanna and Vanessa, who both have different stories. Joanna is a civil servant, married with three kids living in Leeds, whereas Vanessa has chosen the wild.
Ms Chapman has contributed to the programme and after her initial misgivings, is now supportive of Vanessa's move. She said in the programme, “I felt uneasy at first because I never felt Colombia’s easy… or safe. But I’m not worried anymore. She won’t get in a mess. She’s smart and I’m very proud of her.”
Vanessa is now living the life she has always dreamed of and embracing her identity as a British-Colombian. Her story will be featured in the Channel 5 series Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild on Tuesday. It will be an inspiring and heartwarming journey that will show the world the power of following your dreams.
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