Although it seems like something out of a horror novel, people do occasionally end up surviving in the wild for extraneous amounts of time. Hiking enthusiast Aron Ralston proves the sheer determination of wilderness survival. The lengths and actions he took are a perfect example of how much the human body can withstand when surviving off pure adrenaline.
In 2003, Aron Ralston decided to take a hike in Utah. However, this day’s hike took an unexpected turn when his right arm became trapped between the canyon wall and a boulder. Using the limited food and water in his bag, Ralston did his best to survive in hopes that someone would find him and save his life. Little did he know, his savior was right there the whole time.
After 5 days of waiting, Ralston realized that his only chance of survival was himself. Using a multi-use pocket knife, he cut through the bottom half of his arm. After an extremely painful and traumatic experience, Ralston made the 7 mile hike back to his truck. Alone, cold, and bleeding profusely. Miraculously, he managed to get medical help from local EMS and survived to this day.
He now continues to adventure despite his extreme misfortune and is known as an amazing motivational speaker. To this day, he continues to speak about wilderness and exploration safety, even having a movie inspired by his miraculous ability to save himself in such a terrifying situation. You can find more about him and his story at aronralstonspeaker.com.
