Kriti Mehrotra
As a Jared McGilliard-directed three-part documentary series living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s ‘Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure’ is unlike any other. That’s because it delves deep into the way an art collector named Forrest Fenn’s decision to hide a chest of artifacts, gold, and jewels in the Rocky Mountains kickstarted an adventure for many. Amongst those is Cynthia Meachum, who became so enamored with locating the treasure that it was her whole life at one point, but the only thing she found were many tight-knit friendships.
Cynthia Meachum Dedicated Years to Hunt for Forrest Fenn’s Treasure
As someone whose self-proclaimed specialized skill is problem-solving in one way or another, the moment Cynthia Meachum heard of the treasure, she thought, “How hard can this be?” So, she bought Forrest Fenn’s book ‘The Thrill of the Chase,’ devoured it for clues, and even began looking up his interviews for further information before actually meeting him for the first time in October 2013. She vividly remembers approaching him during a book signing for his second book, ‘Too Far to Walk,’ and discussing her theories about the quest with him despite being very intimidated.
However, Cynthia soon realized that Forrest was actually just like her – someone looking for a new adventure amidst the beauty of nature without having to worry about her age. After all, she was already in her 60s when this hunt came into her life, only for her to dedicate all her energy towards it after retiring from her full-time job in the corporate world in 2015. The truth is she was actually fired as a field service engineer in the semiconductor industry, but since she was already contemplating stepping away for good, she decided to take the leap of faith.
Cynthia had already dedicated an entire room in her house to her research and theories on Fenn’s treasure, and she only doubled down on it from 2015 onwards. The fact Forrest had given her his personal e-mail during their fateful meeting and seemed equally as excited as her when she told him about this new development just pushed her into this quest further. So, for the next five years, Cynthia either spent her time amid the Rocky Mountains trying to locate the treasure, with Forrest to decipher more clues through their conversations, or with loved ones.
Cynthia Meachum Was Forrest Fenn’s Supporter and Close Friend
While Cynthia’s conversations with Forrest initially only focused on the chest he had hidden, as time passed, they actually got to know one another on a personal level too. The fact that he often even invited her to his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is proof of the same. While he did respond to most e-mails from hunters looking for his treasure, he only gave a few that much intimate access. Yet, things were still different between him and Cynthia because he conversed and joked with her much more freely. In fact, there was a time when it felt like he wanted her to find his treasure.
According to Cynthia’s own accounts, she was hanging out with Forrest during a public event one time in the late 2010s, and when a photographer asked for a picture, she joked that he should act as if he had just told the treasure’s location. To her surprise, she claimed in the aforementioned original production, he actually leaned into her ear and told her to spend the summer in Yellowstone National Park, so she packed for it as soon as possible. Per her accounts, she sent him updates on where she looked and what she did almost every day during that visit, and he responded with indirect hot and cold references, making her think he was indeed trying to help her.
But alas, in the summer of 2020, someone else found Forrest’s nearly $2 million treasure in Wyoming, and it turns out it was reportedly indeed inside Yellowstone National Park. When Cynthia heard this news, she contacted Forrest to verify it, and he invited her to come over to his place once again. He also asked her to stay in the yard instead of ringing the bell and coming inside, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They spent that evening sitting 6 feet apart on comfortable chairs in his yard, and he told her that the news was true, yet he would tell her all the details at a later date. Sadly, that never transpired because Forrest passed away from a heart attack at the age of 90 on September 7.
Cynthia Meachum Seemingly Still Loves to Undertake New Adventures
Although Cynthia was shocked to realize how much money she had spent on her hunt for Forrest’s treasure when she finally processed everything, she never regretted any of it. That’s because it was never about the gold, jewels, or financial aspect for her; it was about the adventure, the once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the possibility of her discovering herself amid nature. That’s precisely what happened because she learned that her age does not restrict her from doing anything if she really has her mind set on it, and it is something she will carry for the rest of her life.
Since then, hobbyist YouTuber Cynthia has apparently been living a relatively quiet life in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where she is surrounded by her two adorable dogs every step of the way. She doesn’t have any children apart from her fur babies, and she currently appears to be single, so from what we can tell, whenever she is not spending time with friends or loved ones, she is back in nature and undertaking new adventures for herself. We should also mention that she actually likes to keep her late friend’s memories and legacy alive by talking about his treasure, which is partly why she penned a book about her experiences related to the same. ‘Chasing Fenn’s Treasure: One Woman’s Insight into Forrest Fenn and His Poem’ was published in 2018. Even her YouTube channel primarily focuses on Fenn’s treasure and the conversations she had with Forrest about it.
Read More: Justin Posey’s Net Worth: How Rich is the Treasure Hunter?
