Ralston had been climbing the narrow canyons of Utah alone when a dislodged boulder fell on to his right arm, trapping him against a rock. He was entombed in the wilderness of Bluejohn Canyon, carrying a small rucksack with just one litre of water, two burritos and a few chunks of chocolate. He had headphones and a video camera but no mobile phone – and there was no reception anyway. Most foolishly of all, he had not told anyone where he was going. He eked out his water, futilely chipping away at the 800lb rock and slowly entering a state of delirium, until he was eventually forced to cut off his trapped arm, with the small knife from his cheap multitool kit.
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21 comments:
Wow.
First it was the idea of chopping your arm off left me thunderstruck. But after reading the article it was the way the guy reacted and the way his mind toiled its way around the problem that left me even more astonished.
He seemed so rational and reserved about breaking his bones. But yet, to me it portrayed him as a courageous person rather than restrained.
As far as im concerned, i would never have the guts to slice my arm off even if it was to save my own life.
I watched the trailer of the movie based on it, its looks awesome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5DHU-S7vXE
I cringed as I read this! But this is a brave thing to do in my eyes, I would definitely never have the guts to do that myself! I'm not sure if I would be able to get through the movie to be honest. Just the way he described the amputation; I could feel it in muscles I didn't even know existed.
Our survival instincts are amazing.
This somehow reminds me of the Saw movies.
Beautiful descriptions though, about how his arm had turned out, the mutilation process, etc.
I definitely need to see 127 hours now.
Makes you ask yourself what you would do in a life threatening situation.
This guy has my respect. It takes real courage to cut your own arm off.
UGGGHHHH! Reminds me of the SAW movies. I don't think i'll ever have the guts to chop my hand off. Maybe I'm just saying this now but my instincts might act differently if I was to be in such situation but i just can't picture my life without my right hand (No Dirtiness). Even though I would probably have a prosthetic arm I'm just too afraid of Pain. ( Very unmanly, I know )
Wow, that's something. Before reading the article I thought he would have amputated himself within a few hours, not 127. It's great that the experience is being made into a movie, especially by such a renowned director but what's different from all the other "Based on a true story" movies is that in this case, he can actually go back and see that rock. He might be a few million dollars richer, but I don't think he would ever forget the experience and such an intense event would send my mind spinning.
I'm still in a bit of shock, no idea how he feels.
*Shocked and speechless here.
I agree with what myra said, it does take real courage to cut off your own arm. I doubt I would have ever had the courage or the guts to do that to myself even if it were a life threatening situation.
I actually saw him the other day in an interview with Jay Leno, and he was narrating this without flinching, he was just smiling and even making a few jokes while he was narrating it.
I was just blown away- these kind of stories just really make you question what you would do in situations like that, and really make you realise how grateful you should be for everything you have.
Amputating your own arm? I am still just completley taken aback by his thirst for life.
As I was reading the article I was disgusted, astonished and as Teressa says blown away as to how he had the courage to cut his arm off..wooah I don’t think I would ever be able to do that!!
Ewwwww!!! I don't even have guts to make an itsy bitsy cut on my arm, which means I can't even think of cutting my whole arm of even if i was stuck there for 200 hours. So, Hats of to him for the courage he showed, though I think he made the world's most idiotic mistake which is he didn't inform anyone. There would have been a possibility of his arm still being there if he would have informed someone before leaving...
When things like this happen it makes you think about how valuble life is.
Ralston had the will to live where as some people think they want to die for no reason.
It is something worth remembering.
Wow.
Firstly what a way to lose an arm.
My mom can't even get me to take a needle shot in my arm without a people holding me imagine finding the courage to take out a knife and start slicing at your hand.
Either the state of survival had caused him to forget about pain, His armed had completely numbed after some time or he hadn't really realized what he did until he was looking at his hand under a boulder.
It just goes to show that the little things people stress about can make a huge difference. Maybe if someone had known where he washe could of saved his arm ( most likely not but still).
So those little things like don't put all your info on facebook could make a difference between you being kidnapped and you sleeping in your bed.
WOW!!!
My insides were cringing when I was reading that article. It's unbelievable to what extent one can go to save his life.
I can't help thinking of how brave Ralston is.
Aisha Bashir.
11g2.
WOW! Thats amazing.. I guess when you have no hope at all, your survival instincts jump in. Im sure he wouldn't have been able to do such a grusome thing if he wasnt in such a hopeless and desperate scenario. But still, hats of to this guy, for continuing to live life at the edge, even after an experience like this!
One word: awestruck!
That guy really had the will to live!
I don't know if I would hack away at my arm like he did, but maybe it's different in the face of such danger! I hope I'm never in that situation!
Cringing forever. Kudos to him, though. It takes guts, nerve, courage and a whole lot of desperation to amputate your own arm.
Excuse me while I cradle my own arm now.
*shudder*
Its beyond me to understand his bravery. I mean that just left me Dumbfounded.
He was so hopefull and he dint give up. That takes alot of courage to do that.
Wow, there are a lot of gruesome details regarding the amputation. Amazingly described yet gruesome.
This guy is an actual LEGEND. I doubt I would ever cut my arm off, I think I would be way too scared.
127 hours seems like a beautiful movie, I need to watch it ASAP.
I couldn't sit through the movie. I shuddered,cringed and secretly wriggled off my seat.
Our survival instinct and ideas our brains formulate in situations like these? Stupefying.
I am more likely to die due to the fear of death rather than thinking of a way out.
Yep, I would most definitely just die in there.
There's NO WAY I would be able to amputate my own arm off. NOW WAY. In fact, I can't even THINK about it.
A very courageous man, he is! Really, hats off to him! Pretty cool what we would do to survive. I actually found myself contemplating if I'd want to live without one arm...
Ralston is clearly a VERY brave man,I cant imagine what he went through or imagine someone having the courage to do what he did,Take a bow braveheart
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