LA GRANGE, Ky. — A mother-son duo has reinvented an old historic house in La Grange, Kentucky, into an escape house.

It’s the thrill of escaping with the joy of solving a puzzle. Teresa and Ethan Boling, owners of Emerge Escape Rooms, said they started doing escape rooms when they were in a dark time. 

“We found that by going to escape rooms, it let us escape for a little while," Teresa Boling said. "We love that. We also found out that we learned how to work together really well. We became a better team because when you're in an escape room, you're on the same team.”

That’s where the dream was born. The mother-son duo bought an old house in La Grange, Kentucky, in 2022, and for 17 months, transformed it into an escape house.

“We wanted it to be not just any escape room, but we wanted it to be the most immersive," Ethan Boling said. "We did that with our live acting and the intricateness of our rooms.” 

When stepping into Emerge Escape Rooms, there are butterflies everywhere. It's a symbol of the Bolings' story and how they pushed through to achieve their dreams.

Everyone leaves their mark by putting a butterfly on the wall.

“We wanted other people to leave their mark here," Teresa Boling said. "It's just a real blessing and joy for us to walk through this room and see how many new friends we've made.”

The activity has become a favorite for Doug MacIntyre and his family, including wife Kalyn and children Malcolm and Helen. 

"A lot of times, Helen might solve a puzzle and Malcolm won't, or Malcolm will see something a little differently ... so it really does take all four of us to help solve these puzzles," Doug MacIntyre said. 

The Bolings said escape rooms help them find joy and hope their guests experience a similar feeling. 

“That's what emerged was, it was hope for us, and that's what it can be for other people, is hope," Ethan Boling said. 

Emerge Escape Rooms has two rooms and added it is building a third. The owners said they also hope to open another location soon close to Louisville.