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.
