Monday, September 19, 2016

Into the Wild - Born in El Segundo, California, Christopher McCandless was described as his teachers as “marching to the beat of a different drummer.” After earning a bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology, he donated the majority of his belongings and savings to charity and decided to live a nomadic lifestyle. By 1992, he had travelled all the way to Alaska. Once there, he lived off the land, or at least attempted to. He discovered an abandoned bust approximately 28 miles west of Healy - this is where he set up camp. He documented his experience in a journal and through self-portrait photography. He foraged for edible plants and hunted animals, including squirrels, birds, and geese. His journal detailed 133 days out in the wilderness. Becoming weak, he decided he would return to civilisation. However, the trail was blocked by an overflowing river. He returned to the bus where he wrote an S.O.S. note which read:
“Attention Possible Visitors. S.O.S. I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out. I am all alone, this is no joke. In the name of God, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless. August?”
On 6 September, 1992, a hunter discovered McCandless’ decomposing body, wrapped up tight in his sleeping bag on the abandoned bus. He had died of starvation the prior month. His final journal entry that included words read: “Day 107. Beautiful Berries.” Entries 108 through to 113 were marked only with a singular slash. The abandoned bus still remains; there is now a plaque inside the bus in memory of Christopher McCandless.
Reblog - Posted 1 day ago with 580 notes

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