LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Rhys Atherton, 15, spent several minutes silently taking a walk through a set of pathways laid out over the Luzerne County Fairgrounds.
It's called a labyrinth, and it's a centuries-old meditation tool.
With the help of his family and friends, Rhys constructed the maze with the goal of helping trauma survivors.
"I hope that they leave some of that behind and not have to worry about it in their future," Rhys explained.
"Whether they're suffering from PTSD or similar problems, or not, just an opportunity to allow themselves to relax and meditate," James Atherton said.
The labyrinth is Rhys' Eagle Scout service project. He and his father James got the idea from an organization located in Dallas called One Mi22ion Salute.
"Our organization is based around the idea of something called post-traumatic growth, which to put it in a bumper sticker is, 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,'" said Eric Pimm, one of the heads of the organization.
Pimm has seen the success of this seemingly simple practice—taking a walk through a maze—in both himself and in others.
"The first time I experienced the labyrinth when I was all done, I kind of laughed and said, 'It's amazing how walking in a circle can make me cry.' It just provides an opportunity to release," Pimm said.
The project took about 25 volunteers putting in several 12-hour days but seeing the finished product made it all worth it.
"To be completely honest with you, it brought a tear to my eye when I first saw it," James said.
The Athertons have several family members who served in the armed forces, including Rhys' grandparents. So he had specific people in mind as he was putting in all those hours of labor.
"Because they might suffer from this, and just never told me, so I built this so hopefully, they can go through [the labyrinth]," Rhys said.
The group plans to hold a dedication ceremony on July 11, the same day as a free concert at the fairgrounds.
Anyone can use the labyrinth whenever the fairgrounds are open.