Introduction to Harrowing Survival Stories
It's late October and you and your neighbor are amazed by the unseasonably good weather. To enjoy the beautiful day, you decide to go on an impromptu hike. Your neighbor has to be back to finish a financial report she's working on and you've got to be at your girlfriend's early tomorrow morning. You figure you'll be gone on a short trek, so you pack light -- bringing only a few bottles of water, a bottle of sunscreen, a few sandwiches, some trail mix and your cell phone.
Robert C. Nunnington/Getty Images
Hundreds of people find themselves in survival predicaments each year. What would you do?
The scenery and weather are so great that you lose track of time and before you know it, the sun starts to set. It's time to head back. Moments later, disaster strikes. You trip, tumble down a steep hill and break your leg. At 240-pounds (109 kilograms), there's no way your petite, 115-pound (52-kilogram) neighbor can haul you out. You're almost out of water, you've eaten all the food and your cell phone isn't getting a signal...
Hundreds of people find themselves in similar predicaments each year. What would you do? In this article, we'll take a look at several amazing stories of survival -- examining the obstacles each person faced and what they did to overcome their harrowing experiences. These stories are inspiring and educational -- providing valuable information on what you might do if you're faced with a similar situation.
Lost at Sea
Steven Callahan survived more than two months alone at sea in an inflatable raft. In January 1982, Callahan set sail from the Canary Islands on a small boat he built himself. The boat sank six days into the trip and Callahan was left adrift on a five-foot (1.5 meter) life raft.
 A solar still, like the one pictured above, can make sea water potable. |
With only three pounds of food and eight pints of water, a solar still and a makeshift spear, Callahan managed to survive on his own until his rescue 76 days later. He probably could not have accomplished this without the still (which can make sea water potable) and the spear. During his two-plus months at sea, Callahan's raft traveled approximately 1,800 miles (2,898 kilometers). Throughout the entire ordeal, Callahan constantly fought death. Not only did he lose an incredible amount of weight, leaving him malnourished, Callahan was very badly sunburned and had to repeatedly fight off sharks. Although left helpless to watch as ships passed without noticing him, Callahan's determination to live was unyielding. He ate whatever fish he could catch and found ways to occupy his mind. His quick-thinking saved his life time and again. Even when his raft sprung a leak, Callahan was able to keep the raft afloat and managed the leak for 33 more days until his rescue.
Survival Skills
Like other survivors before him, Callahan had a certain amount of valuable experience to rely upon; Steven Callahan was an expert sailor and shipbuilder when he set out to sea. He used his skills and knowledge of sea life to make clean water and catch food. However, most people that read his memoir, "Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea," believe that it was Callahan's determination that kept him alive. He was often terrified, but he knew that he had to fight his negativity. If at any point he had given in to his negative thoughts, he probably would not have survived until his rescue. Steven Callahan's experience at sea is a lesson in two very important survival skills - determination and a positive attitude.
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Source: WildSurvival.Com |
Lost on the Board
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"I was thinking, the game is over ... Let's reset it. I give up." |
Because he was just out for a bit of outdoor recreation, LeMarque had very little in the manner of supplies and equipment. He had no food, no extra clothing and the battery on his cell phone was dead -- certainly not enough to back up a few hours, let alone seven nights lost on the mountain. But, he did have an MP3 player. While it might seem like the least-likely device to do so, it was probably this little gadget that saved LeMarque's life.
After realizing he was lost, LeMarque's first reaction was a good one; he gathered kindling and attempted to build a fire. Depending on the situation, staying put and waiting for help is usually a good option. When he couldn't get a fire going, he decided to keep moving. Unfortunately, he headed in the wrong direction. Over the next couple of days, LeMarque travelled further and further away from safety. Along the way, he faced frigid temperatures, hunger and after falling into rushing water, almost went careening down an 80-foot (24-meter) waterfall.
LeMarque's seven-day ordeal left him so badly frostbitten, that he suffered irreparable tissue damage to his lower extremities; both his feet and much of his legs had to be amputated. After losing 35 pounds (16 kilograms), LeMarque was severely malnourished. According to Newsweek, at one point -- at the height of his exhaustion, LeMarque was hallucinating and imagining his situation was a video game. He was thinking, "the game is over ... Let's reset it. I give up." However, LeMarque didn't give up and he did survive.
Source: WildSurvival.com |
How Eric Saved His Own Life
The will to live and some clever thinking kept Eric LeMarque alive. Well, that and a little help from the entertainment industry. After recalling a scene in a movie, LeMarque fashioned a working compass. Using that and an increasingly strong radio signal from his MP3 player, LeMarque successfully switched direction and started moving back toward safety and, ultimately, his rescue.
 A multi-purpose utility tool like this Leatherman is a "must-have" addition to your outdoor adventure gear. |
He made some other key decisions that no doubt helped him to survive. Instead of eating the most readily available item (snow), LeMarque ate pine seeds and tree bark. Eating snow can be very dangerous because it lowers body temperature. He further avoided lowering his body temperature by not camping directly on the cold ground. Using his snow board like an axe, LeMarque created an insulated surface of tree shavings between his body and the freezing, snow-covered earth. These sound decisions ensured that, at the very least, Eric LeMarque would not freeze to death. By using equipment for non-traditional purposes - like an MP3 player as a directional device or a snow board as an axe, LeMarque's creativity helped him overcome being ill equipped. However, as he told Newsweek reporters, the next time he goes snow boarding (he definitely plans to do so), he'll be sure to be much better prepared.
Surviving Despite an Injury
| "In seconds my whole outlook changed. The weary frightened hours of night were forgotten...I could do something positive. I could crawl and climb and keep on doing so until I had escaped from this grave." |
With 300 feet (91.4 meters) of rope, Yates and Simpson devised a plan. Yates would lower Simpson 300 feet (91.4 meters) and wait for a tug on the rope. This signal would indicate that Simpson had anchored himself and it was safe for Yates to climb down. Unfortunately, night fell and a snowstorm hit so suddenly that when Yates lowered Simpson over a precipice, he accidentally left him hanging in mid-air. There was no way to know what, if anything was beneath Simpson. The conditions of the blizzard made it impossible for the two to communicate. Yates held on to the rope for over an hour. But, after realizing that unless he cut the rope, they both would die, Yates was forced to make a difficult decision. He had to cut the rope.
 Photo courtesy Mark Horrell Siula Grande |
Falling to Safety
 Photo courtesy Amazon.com |
He lowered himself until he hit a floor and, when dawn arrived, Simpson was able to climb out to the side of the mountain. Simpson wasn't entirely in-the-clear yet; he still had to get down the mountain and cross a rocky field in spite of his broken leg. He continued to force himself to press on by chanting, "Move, stop dozing, move!" An incredible amount of determination brought Joe Simpson down from Siula Grande. In the end, Simon Yates survived as well, after a harrowing descent to safety.
The Aftermath
Joe Simpson's book, "Touching the Void", about his experience on the mountain has also been made into a major motion picture. While many people have focused on the decision that Yates made to cut the rope, Simpson is first to point out that he would have done the exact same thing. In fact, he has said that he was surprised that Yates even attempted to stay with an injured climber.
Joe Simpson's experience was certainly frightening and for most, almost unthinkable. But, as with many survivors, Simpson's will to live was stronger than the alternative -- the decision to give in to his pain or despair. After several surgeries, Joe Simpson's leg is fully healed and he continues to mountain climb.
Injured, But Not Alone
| "There was just everything going against us. But, we were determined we would live." |
After Jeremy set up his brother with insulated clothing, food and water, he set out for camp four miles (6.4 kilometers) away. Unfortunately, Jeremy made a wrong turn, sending him two miles (3.2 kilometers) down another canyon and through several narrow crevices filled with water. Jeremy knew he wouldn't last long in the freezing temperatures soaking wet -- so he had to stop and build a fire to dry out. Along the way, Jeremy's head-lamp burned through two sets of batteries and he ran out of water. Eventually, after more than 20 grueling hours, Jeremy made it to the campsite -- and his cell phone, to report the incident. Jeremy was later treated for hypothermia and shock at a local hospital.
Meanwhile, Justin attempted to keep his leg elevated on a pile of rope. At sunrise, he hoped for warming temperatures but because he was so deep in the canyon, he only saw 30 minutes of sunshine. Justin's hope of being rescued that day didn't come to pass, either; he had to endure one more night of freezing temperatures before help arrived. Justin lay trapped on a ledge for more than 36 hours, surrounded by frozen mud and water -- battling hypothermia and the pain of a broken leg.
Beating the Odds
 Photo courtesy Shane Burrows Jeremy Harris found himself trekking through crevices filled with water similar to what is seen here at Bluejohn Canyon. |
Unlike Eric LeMarque, when disaster struck, the Harris brothers had each other. Justin and Jeremy Harris survived their ordeal first and foremost because they were together. It also helped that they were well-equipped and they knew what to do in an emergency. The brothers agreed that it would be best for Jeremy to go for help and knew that Justin had to elevate his injury to reduce swelling. Because they were camping, the brothers also had plenty of the right kind of clothing and some food and water. Justin was fairly well insulated from the surrounding frigid temperatures and had enough food and water to sustain himself while Jeremy went for help.
While stranded, Justin smashed his frozen water bottles against a rock and ate ice chips to stay hydrated. This kind of thinking saved his life although in the end, Justin had to have his leg amputated. Like many other survivors, Justin said it was thoughts of his family -- his wife and four children, that sustained his will to survive.
When Animals Attack
Early one morning in November of 2003, Bethany Hamilton did something she regularly did -- she went to Makua Beach on Kauai in Hawaii to go surfing. A 13-year-old competitive surfer, Hamilton often went surfing with her best friend and fellow competitor, Alana Blanchard. On this morning, Bethany and Alana were joined by Holt and Byron -- Alana's dad and brother. At about 7:30 a.m., a tiger shark, probably 12 to 15 feet in length, suddenly bit off Hamilton's left arm, just below the shoulder.
 Photo courtesy Carl Roessler A Tiger shark |
"Nobody saw the shark," said Bethany's 21-year-old brother, Noah, who also said that it was a calm day with clear water. After Hamilton was bitten, instead of panicking and possibly drowning, she paddled over to her friends with only one arm. Along the way, she even made sure to warn other surfers and swimmers nearby -- shouting that there was a shark. Loads of Hamilton's friends and family attest to her quiet strength, pointing out that she has never cried about the incident. Even her doctors were surprised at her determination.
 Photo courtesy http://www.bethanyhamilton.com/ Bethany Hamilton surfing (before the shark attack). |
Bethany Stays Focused
The truth about any animal attack is that predicting an occurrence is nearly impossible. The best defense against an attack is knowledge. If there have been shark sightings on a particular beach, it is something that surfers and swimmers should know. Hamilton's attack was the fourth time in 20 years that a Kauai surfer lost a limb to a shark. Though the incidence is rare, one of the keys to survival is being aware of potential dangers.The best defense against a shark attack is a good offense. The following measures, from the U.S. Department of Land and Natural Resources, can reduce the risk of being bitten by a shark:
 Photo courtesy Destination Surf A surf leash like this was used as a tourniquet for Bethany's arm |
- Don't swim alone
- Swim in guarded areas
- Avoid swimming at dusk
- Don't swim with bleeding wounds
- Avoid murky water
- Don't wear bright jewelry or highly contrasting colors
- Refrain from excessive splashing
- Don't swim if sharks are known to be present
- Be alert if turtles and fish are fleeing the area
- Remove speared fish from the water
- Get out of water if dolphins are jumpy
Fortunately, the loss of Hamilton's arm has not diminished her dreams, she has simply changed her focus. Hamilton plans to pursue a career in photography, standing on the other side of the camera when an accident happens.
For more information about Bethany's survival or any of these other amazing stories, check out the links on the following page.
Lots More Information
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- Yosemite National Park: What to Know Before You Go
- Yellowstone National Park: What to Know Before You Go
- Mount Rushmore Memorial: What to Know Before You Go
- Mammoth Cave National Park: What to Know Before You Go
More Great Links
- Wild Survival
- Survival Instinct
- Survival Equipment
- Wilderness First Aid
- National Transportation Safety Board
- American Red Cross
Bibliography
Web Pages
Books
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