how to not die

IMG_0180On January 25, 2003, when I was a freshman in college, I fell nearly 80 feet while rock climbing. I spent the next five weeks fighting for my life in the I.C.U. at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The doctors said I might not live; when I did, they said I’d never be the same again. Today, not only am I “normal,” most people don’t even know this incident ever happened.

On the ten year anniversary of my accident, I decided to write about my experience.

How To Not Die:

Part One: The Fall (1.26.2013)

Part Two: The Rescue (1.28.2013)

Part Three: The I.C.U. (2.2.2013)

Part Four: The Missing Piece (2.5.2013)

Part Five: The Road to Recovery (2.11.2013)

Part Six: The “Real” Missing Piece (2.13.2013)

Part Seven: The Final Piece (2.19.2013)

…

Note: The image is from a few years after the accident. It was the first time I’d tried climbing again after my accident.

…

2 thoughts

  1. You know, I climb and inspect towers for a living. I’ve heard so many terrible stories of people falling, and how they fell, and their body’s nightmarish response to the landing.
    I’ve wondered what would happen if I fell; could I survive? Largely because of these thoughts, your story is very interesting to me.
    But you are inspiring, also, beyond the scope of surviving a fall.

    Reply

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