Kwakuwusuku olumnandi ngoJulayi 20, 1981, lapho umfana oneminyaka engu-24 ogama lakhe linguDavid Allen Kirwan, evela ILa Cañada Flintridge ubeshayela indawo efudumele yaseYellowstone eFountain Paint Pot eWyoming. Waya lapho nomngani wakhe uRonald Ratliff nenja kaRatliff uMoosie. Ngaleso sikhathi, babengazi ukuthi maduzane bazohlangana nesigameko esinyantisa kunazo zonke empilweni yabo.
Maphakathi nosuku ngemuva kokufika lapho beya khona, bapake iloli labo baphuma bayohlola isifunda semithombo. Ekugcineni, ngenkathi behamba ibangana elincane elolini labo, ngokungazelele, inja yabo uMoosie yeqa elolini yagijimela kuyo, yavele yaziphonsela echibini eliseduze laseCelestine - umthombo oshisayo lapho izinga lokushisa kwamanzi lihlala lilinganiswa ngaphezulu U-200 ° F - wabe eseqala ukuncipha.
Baphuthuma echibini ukuyosiza inja yabo enkingeni, futhi isimo sengqondo sikaKirwan sasikhombisa ukuthi usezongena entwasahlobo eshisayo ngemuva kwayo. Ngokusho kwababoni, abantu abaningana okubalwa kubo uRatliff bazamile ukuxwayisa uKirwan ngokumthethisa ukuthi angagxumeli emanzini. Kepha wamemeza ngezinxushunxushu, “Ngeke ngibe njengesihogo!”, wabe esethatha izinyathelo zakhe ezimbili wangena echibini futhi ngokushesha nje wabe esejuba ekhanda lakhe entwasahlobo ebilayo!
UKirwan wabhukuda wafinyelela enjeni futhi wazama ukuyisa ogwini; ngemuva kwalokho, wanyamalala ngaphansi kwamanzi. Ngemuva kokudedela inja, wazama ukuzikhuphulela ngaphandle kwentwasahlobo. URatliff usize ukumkhipha, okuholele ekutheni ashe kakhulu ezinyaweni. Ngenkathi abanye ababemi lapho behola uKirwan baya endaweni evulekile eseduze, bezama ukumduduza kuze kufike i-ambulensi. Ngaleso sikhathi, kubikwa ukuthi wayekhononda, “Lokho bekuyisiphukuphuku. Ngimubi kangakanani? Ngenza into ebulima. ”
UKirwan empeleni wayebukeka kabi kakhulu. Amehlo akhe ayemhlophe futhi engaboni, futhi izinwele zakhe zaziziwisa. Lapho isivakashi sepaki sizama ukukhipha esinye sezicathulo zakhe, isikhumba sakhe - esase siqalile ukucwecwa yonke indawo - sasiphume naso. Ushiswe ngezinga lesithathu lafika ku-100% womzimba wakhe. Ngemuva kokuchitha amahora anezinkinga, ngakusasa ekuseni uDavid Kirwan washonela esibhedlela iSalt Lake City. UMoosie naye akazange asinde. Isidumbu sakhe asikaze sitholakale echibini.
