Did anyone see Aron Ralston interviewed tonite?

[DisMN]

He's the young man who cut his own hand off to save himself after his hand/arm was pinned by a rock.


It was a good interview and they even answered the one probing question I had about his experience. I'd wondered what happened to the body part he left behind.

 

[bsnyder]

Shoot! I missed it!!!

I saw the ad for it, and really meant to watch but I had some other things on my mind and forgot.

Tell me some details please. I found the story, when it happened, to be absolutely fascinating. What strength of mind that guy must have!

How's he doing now?

 

[DisMN]

Oh Bet, you missed a good one. What an inspiration this young kid is!

*kind of cocky but I think that's his nature......a real risk taker*

What kind of details do you want? He had a movie camera with him and filmed himself day by day, as he deteriorated. How wrenching to listen to!

He was pretty bad off by the time he was finally able to screw up his courage to actually cut his hand off....right above the wrist it seemed. I have a feeling his pitiful state might have been his saving grace while he hacked away at his arm. Maybe the fact that he was being slowly poisoned by a decomposing body part still attached to his body, and the fact that he was starving and severely dehydrated contributed to a lessened pain sensation........I don't know......but he walked us through exactly what he did.

The whole story of the things he thought about and how he scratched "RIP" and his name and date of "death" in the wall just boggle the mind.

I had wondered about his hand. Obviously he had to leave it there but I wondered if anyone had gone back for it.

**SPOILER AHEAD**



















Some rescuers went back to the place and got his arm. It took 13 men and some kind of crane I believe it was, to lift the rock to dislodge the body part. Aron then had it cremated and spread the ashes in the area he was stuck.

Incredible story. Just incredible. What a kid.

 

[TLinden16]

I watched it. It was quite the story. I remember when it happened, and couldn't imagine how someone could cut off his own arm. To hear him talking about it in great detail was something else. It really is an amazing survival story. And seeing the dull knife he used to cut off his arm was surprising. I can't even imagine.

He was pretty amazing, going back and retracing his steps like that in front of the camera. It's great to see that he still has that adventuring spirit in him.

He wrote a book about his ordeal--Between a Rock and a Hard Place. I may have to pick that one up.

Karen

 

[amid chaos]

An absolutely amazing story of survival. That was filmed just 6 months after.

 

[bsnyder]

Wow, I had no idea he had a video camera with him. Simply incredible.

I may have to get the book. I usually like the genre of true survival stuff. But the title really has been groaning!

 

[poohandwendy]

Originally posted by bsnyder
Wow, I had no idea he had a video camera with him. Simply incredible.

I may have to get the book. I usually like the genre of true survival stuff. But the title really has been groaning!

I like to real the 'true survival' stories also, makes me ponder what I would do in the same situation...this story soounds incredible...yeah, the title is definitely a groaner...