Aron Ralston

Aron Ralston

• Born: October 27, 1975 (age 47)
• Occupation: Mountaineer, author, engineer
• Nationality: American
• Spouse: Jessica Trusty (m. 2009–2014)
• Children: Leo Ralston

Summary

Aron Lee Ralston is an American mountaineer, author, and engineer. He is best known for his experience in 2003, when he became trapped by a boulder in a remote canyon in Utah. After five days, he amputated his own arm with a dull pocketknife in order to escape. His ordeal was the subject of the 2010 film 127 Hours, in which he was portrayed by James Franco.

Early life and education

Ralston was born in Marion, Ohio, and grew up in Denver, Colorado. He developed a passion for climbing at a young age, and by the time he was 18, he had climbed all of Colorado's fourteeners. He graduated from Regis Jesuit High School in 1994 and went on to study mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduating in 1998, he moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he worked as an engineer for Intel.

Mountaineering career

In 2002, Ralston set out to climb all of Utah's fourteeners in a single season. On April 26, 2003, he was hiking in Bluejohn Canyon, a remote area of Canyonlands National Park, when a boulder fell on his right arm, pinning him against the canyon wall. He was trapped for five days, with no food or water. During this time, he contemplated his mortality and made a number of difficult decisions, including the decision to amputate his own arm.

On April 30, 2003, Ralston amputated his arm with a dull pocketknife. He then rappelled down a 65-foot cliff and hiked six miles out of the canyon. He was eventually rescued by a group of hikers.

Aftermath

After his ordeal, Ralston underwent a lengthy rehabilitation process. He learned to use a prosthetic arm and returned to climbing. He also wrote a book about his experience, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, which was published in 2004. The book was adapted into a film, 127 Hours, which was released in 2010.

Ralston has since become a motivational speaker and advocate for outdoor safety. He has also started a foundation to help other people who have experienced traumatic injuries.

Awards and honors

• 2004: National Geographic Adventurer of the Year
• 2005: American Alpine Club's David A. Sowles Memorial Award for Mountaineering Literature
• 2006: Honorary doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University
• 2010: Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (127 Hours)

Personal life

Ralston married Jessica Trusty in 2009. They divorced in 2014. They have one child, a son named Leo.