(L_R) Aron Ralston and Actor James Franco who plays Aron in the 127 hour film
Adrenaline junkie Aron Ralston found fame in 2003 after a rock fell on his arm when he was hiking in Utah and he was forced to amputate it with a dull knife having being trapped for 127 hours in a canyon. Thanks to Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle his ordeal has now been turned into an emotional drama starring James Franco. The filmmakers used Ralston's book Between a Rock and a Hard Place and more evidence of his ordeal in video testimonies the climber recorded after days trapped in the canyon. Aron believed he was going to die in the canyon. He said 'It was inextricable – I couldn't move more than a few inches,' 'I was saying goodbye in those pictures. I had a video camera that I was using it ultimately to give my will and testament to my family. 'I was going to die in that place, I went through all the different options of trying to get myself free – I drank my own urine, I was facing my death very imminently in that spot.
A picture that shows the boulder that fell on Aron Ralston’s arm
'He finally came up with the idea of chopping his lower arm off but had unfortunately dulled the only knife he was carrying – a cheap multi-use tool that had come free with a torch…. ouch. 'It was a dull pocket knife because I first used it to try and chip away at the boulder," he said. 'It was several days of attempts to get through my arm. I made several unsuccessful attempts but in the end it was too dull to cut through the bone.' He had to bend and break his own bones and sever tendons in his arm… I feel sick already. He said 'I was smiling when I realised I didn't have to cut through the bone and I could actually use the boulder and bend my arm enough to break the bones. 'I actually had a smile on my face as I put a tourniquet on my arm and stop the blood loss. 'An hour later I was free and I had my life again.' After freeing himself from the ordeal he did not have a mobile phone so he was forced to descent down a 65ft wall and hike out of the Blue John canyon in the hot weather before stumbling into a Dutch family who gave him water and cookies and alerted the emergency services… that is what I call an inspiring movie.
Aron Ralston
Aron Ralston now earns thousands as a motivational speaker as well as tackling peaks around the world. The movie is out in the UK in January… go watch it if you have a strong stomach as audience members have fainted while watching the gruesome section of the film. Goodluck
Watch the clip
