The Man Who Cut Off His Own Hand to Avoid Certain Death

Aron Ralston

A selfie taken by Aron Ralston when he was stuck with his hand between the canyon and boulder and a picture of the bolder after the incident (Source: The Guardian)

Life can bring us major challenges that will test not only our character but our will to fight against the odds. In Aron Ralston’s case, life brought the challenge of a lifetime, which most people don’t encounter and even those who do will most likely fail. In 2003, Ralston had to make a drastic decision, it was either cutting off his hand or dying. As always, things are not as simple as they sound, this is why we need to dig deeper into what actually happened.

Just another hike outdoors

Aron Ralston is a mechanical engineer and since a young age, he loved to spend his free time outdoors. He kept this hobby throughout his life, escaping his job and going out in the wilderness, exploring the vast nature that America has to offer. In 2003, he decided to take a hike in the Bluejohn Canyon (Wayne County, Utah). He was quite good at hiking, but no matter how good you are, the terrain can always play against your plan.

As he was hiking the canyon, a big boulder fell in the crater that Ralston found himself in, locking his hand between the canyon and the boulder. The boulder weighed at least a couple of tonnes, therefore there was no way to move it. Although Ralston tried to use his equipment to move the boulder, he had no luck.