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.

To get him out, rescuers had to tie Justin to a fiberglass and metal toboggan and lift him 450 feet (136 meters) up a rock cliff. A rescuer put a blanket over Justin's head so he wouldn't see the height during the five-hour hoist to the helicopter waiting above.

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.