You know, I’ve been thinking. Everything is… just comes together. It’s me. I chose this. I chose all of this. This rock… this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. In its entire life, ever since it was a bit of meteorite a million, billion years ago up there In space. It’s been waiting, to come here. Right, right here. I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the earth’s surface.
Good morning, everyone! It is 7 o’clock here in Canyonlands, USA! And this morning on the boulder, we have a very special special guest, self-proclaimed American superhero, Aron Ralston! Let’s hear it for Aron!
Hey. Hi. Oh, gosh, it’s… It’s a real pleasure to be here. Thank you. Thank you! Heh. Eh-heh. Em… Hey, can I say hi to my mom and dad?
Mom and Dad! Mustn’t forget Mom and Dad. Right, Aron?
Yeah, that’s right. Eh… Hey, Mom. I’m really sorry I didn’t answer the phone the other night. If I had, I would have told you where I was going, and then… Well, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.
That’s for sure! But like I always say… your supreme selfishness is our gain. Thank you, Aron. Anyone else you’d like to say hi to?
Ehm… Well, Brion at work.
Hey! Eh… I probably won’t be making it into work today.
Get a load of this guy! Oh, wait. Hold on… We’ve got a question coming in from another Aron in Loser Canyon, Utah! Aron asks…
Am I right in thinking that even if Brion from work notifies the police, they’ll put a 24-hour hold on it before they file a Missing Persons report? Which means you won’t become officially missing until midday Wednesday, at the earliest?
Yeah. You’re right on the money there, Aron.
Which means, I’ll probably be dead by then.
Aron from Loser Canyon, Utah. How do you know so much?
Well, I’ll tell you how I know so much. I volunteer for the rescue service. You see, I’m something of a… well, a big fucking hard hero.
And I can do everything on my own, you see?
I do see! Now… Is it true that despite, or maybe because you’re a big fucking hard hero… you didn’t tell anyone where you were going?
What I could really use is about 20 meters of static wrap rope, 9.8 mil. Uh, three or four pulleys, a rack of carabiners, a sling, power drill, and bolt kit. Oh, and uh, eight burly men to do all the hauling.
Good morning, everyone! It’s 6:45 Tuesday morning in BJ Canyon! The weather is great. I figure by now that Leona, my housemate – Hi, Leona! – has missed me hopefully since I didn’t show up last night. Another hour and a half they’ll miss me for not showing up at work… Hi, Brion at work! Best case scenario is they notify the police and after a 24 hour hold they file a report, a missing person’s report. Which means noon tomorrow it’s official that I’m gone. I do still have the tiniest bit of water left. Well, actually, I’ve resorted… I’ve had a couple pretty good gulps of urine that I saved in my Camelbak. I sort of let it distill… It tastes like hell. So, it’s 70 hours since I left on my bike from Horseshoe Trailhead during which time I have consumed 3 liters of water, a couple of mouthfuls of piss…
Did I say the weather is great? Well, it is. Though flash floods potential is still present. There’s four-prong major canyons upstream from me that all converge in this 3 foot wide gap where I am. The rock I pulled down on top of me, it was put there by flood. Still, I’d get a drink.
Mom, Dad, I really love you guys. I wanted to take this time to say the times we’ve spent together have been awesome. I haven’t appreciated you in my own the way I know I could. Mom, I love you. I wish I’d returned all of your calls, ever. I really have lived this last year. I wish I had learned some lessons more astutely, more rapidly, than I did. I love you. I’ll always be with you.
