Aron Ralston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aron Ralston
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Ralston on Capitol Peak in February 2003
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| Born |
Aron Lee Ralston
October 27, 1975 |
| Alma mater | Carnegie Mellon University (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Surviving a canyoneering accident by cutting off part of his own right arm |
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Notable work
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Between a Rock and a Hard Place |
| Spouse(s) |
Jessica Trusty
(m. 2009; div. 2012) |
| Partner(s) | Vita Shannon (2012–2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Aron Lee Ralston (born October 27, 1975) is an American mountaineer, mechanical engineer, and motivational speaker. He is famous for surviving a dangerous accident while exploring a canyon.
On April 26, 2003, Ralston was canyoneering (traveling through canyons) by himself in Bluejohn Canyon in Utah. A huge boulder fell and trapped his right arm against the canyon wall. He was stuck for five days.
To save his own life, he had to free himself by cutting off part of his arm. After he got free, he climbed down a 65-foot (20 m) cliff and hiked for 7 miles (11 km) until he was rescued.
Ralston wrote a book about his experience called Between a Rock and a Hard Place. His story was also made into a 2010 movie called 127 Hours, starring actor James Franco.
Even after the accident, he kept climbing mountains. He became the first person to climb all of Colorado's tallest mountains, known as "fourteeners," by himself in the winter.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Aron Ralston was born on October 27, 1975, in Marion, Ohio. When he was 12, his family moved to Denver, Colorado. There, he learned to ski and backpack in the mountains.
He went to college at Carnegie Mellon University and earned degrees in mechanical engineering and French. After college, he worked as a mechanical engineer for the company Intel.
However, Ralston loved the outdoors more than his office job. In 2002, he quit his job to follow his passion for climbing mountains. He moved to Aspen, Colorado, and set a goal to climb all of Colorado's "fourteeners." These are mountains that are over 14,000 feet (4,270 m) high. He wanted to be the first person to climb them all alone during the winter.
In 2003, just before his accident, he and his friends were caught in a big avalanche. No one was badly hurt, but it made him think more carefully about the risks of mountaineering.
The Bluejohn Canyon Accident
Trapped by a Boulder
On April 26, 2003, Aron Ralston was exploring Bluejohn Canyon in Utah alone. As he was climbing down a narrow section, a large boulder that was stuck above him came loose. The boulder fell, smashing his left hand and then crushing his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.
Ralston was completely trapped. He hadn't told anyone exactly where he was going, so no one knew he was in trouble. He had no way to call for help.
Five Days of Survival
Realizing he might not survive, Ralston tried to stay alive for as long as possible. He had very little food (two burritos) and a small amount of water. For five days, he tried everything he could think of to move the 800-pound boulder, but it wouldn't budge.
By the fourth day, he was weak from lack of food and water. He realized that to escape, he would have to remove his trapped arm. His small multi-tool wasn't strong enough to cut through the bone.
On the fifth day, after running out of food and water, he was losing hope. He carved his name and birth date into the canyon wall and recorded a goodbye message for his family. But then, he had a vision of a future child, which gave him the strength to keep fighting to live.
A Daring Escape
The next morning, Ralston had an idea. He realized he could use his body weight to bend his arm and break the two bones inside, the radius and ulna. After he broke the bones, he used the small knife on his multi-tool to cut through the rest of his arm and free himself. The entire process took about an hour.
Once free, Ralston still had a long way to go. He climbed out of the narrow canyon, used his rope to rappell (lower himself) down a 65-foot (20 m) cliff, and began hiking. He was 8 miles (13 km) away from his truck.
After hiking for about 6 miles (9.7 km), he saw a family from the Netherlands who were on vacation. They gave him food and water and quickly went to get help. A rescue helicopter found him and flew him to a hospital. He had lost a lot of blood and 40 pounds (18 kg) of his body weight, but he had survived.
Life After the Accident
After his rescue, Aron Ralston's amazing story of survival was shared all over the world. He appeared on many TV shows, like the Late Show with David Letterman, and was featured in magazines.
In 2004, he published his book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, which became a bestseller.
Ralston did not let his injury stop him from doing what he loved. He continued to climb mountains with a special prosthetic arm. In 2005, he completed his goal of climbing all 59 of Colorado's "fourteeners" solo in winter. He has also climbed other major mountains around the world, like Aconcagua in South America.
Today, Ralston works as a motivational speaker. He travels the world sharing his story and inspiring people to overcome challenges.
The Movie 127 Hours
In 2010, British director Danny Boyle made a movie about Ralston's experience called 127 Hours. Actor James Franco played Ralston. The movie was a huge success with critics and audiences.
The film was praised for being very realistic. Ralston himself said the movie was "so factually accurate it is as close to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama."
127 Hours was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for James Franco.
See also
In Spanish: Aron Ralston para niños
