I had noted the event on my calendar weeks ahead but when that Monday evening came, I almost talked myself out of going.

Still tired from a busy weekend, I didn’t feel much like driving to Fayetteville that night. I knew it would mean getting home late and most likely being tired again tomorrow. I figured Earl would be easily persuaded to stay home, too, but that wasn’t the case. So, away we headed to Town Center on the Fayetteville square.

By the time we entered, most seats were taken and people were standing along the walls and in the back. A lady at the front of the room was in the midst of introducing the guestspeaker. Luckily, we found two empty seats nearby and quickly settled in.

Then Aron Ralston walked onto the stage. He was wearing a suit and tie, which surprised me. I suppose I was expecting the avid outdoorsman to be wearing jeans and hiking shoes. At the end of the left sleeve of his dark suit the metal hook of his prosthetic arm was visible. He joked on stage with the interpreter for the deaf and demonstrated the difficulty he would have doing sign language. He encouraged the crowd, that included many college students, to “call theHogs,” a request that was carried out with great enthusiasm.

Once Aron’s presentation began, I glanced around and was amazed that a room so full of people could be this still and quiet. We were captivated. He brought his story to life using brief video clips and snapshots throughout, but his words alone were also powerful. Although he had told his tale hundreds of times, it was obviously still very emotional for him. He made us feel that we were there with him, stuck in that narrow slot canyon in the Utah dessert back in 2003, desperate to find away to escape the entrapment caused when an 800 pound boulder dislodged and pinned his left hand to the canyon wall.

He talked us through the analytical processes he went through day after day to decide what to do using his training as an engineer and the items he had in his backpack. He shared the despair he felt when, after five hot days and cold nights, all attempts had failed. Out of food and water, deprived of sleep and knowing that no one knew his location, he was sure he wouldn’t make it until the next day.

Aron recorded messagesto his family on his video camera and scratched his epithet beside him on the canyon wall. To his surprise, he was still alive at the dawn of the next morning. It was May 1st now and he told this part of the story with a sprinkle of humor.

“I had scratched April on the canyon wall the day before and now my epithet was incorrect. I just couldn’t catch a break.”

That day is when he came up with a new plan. He figured that by twisting his body he could use “torque” to break thebones in his trapped arm. Then, if the blades of his knife, now dulled due to the scratching on the rock, would allow him to cut through the other tissue, he could amputate his arm and free himself. This, he figured, meant almost certain death, since he would surely bleed to death before he could climb out of the deep canyon and hike back to his vehicle parked several miles away. Still, it was his best option.

During this part of the presentation is when a commotion two rows ahead of us drew our attention. A young man had passed out and slumped in his chair. He regained consciousness soon afterwards and his friends propped him back into hisseat. All eyes went back to the speaker.

Aron was successful in freeing himself and described the next moments as the most amazing feeling of his life.

He was alive and free! With little strength left and bleeding profusely, he began the challenge of hiking out. After some miles he was met by a family that helped him and, soon afterward, a helicopter arrived to take him to a hospital.

Since that time, eight years ago, Aron has continued to live a life of adventure, sometimes even scaling mountains alone, except that now he always lets others know of his travel plans.

He has written a book, aptly entitled “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, and gives many motivational speeches each year, like the one we heard thatMonday evening. His story has also been made into a movie.

Aron encouraged listeners to consider each day a gift to be lived to the fullest, to never take for granted the love of family and friends, and find ways to help others.

Not surprisingly, the crowd erupted in applause and a standing ovation at the end of the presentation.

I have thought of this young man’s absolutely amazing story many times since that Monday evening. How glad I am that I didn’t stay home that night and miss it.

Annette Rowe is a freelance writer from rural Gentry and a speech-language pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by email at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/07/2011