The Mountaineer Behind 127 Hours, Aron Ralston, on Survival, Sacrifice, and Gratitude

Aron Ralston's extraordinary story of survival after an 800-pound boulder trapped him in a remote Utah canyon captured global headlines in 2003. In his New York Times best seller, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, the Oscar-nominated film, 127 Hours, and on stage, Ralston takes audiences vicariously through those six days without water, means of communication, or hope of escape, to the ecstatic moments when he freed himself by severing his own arm.Following a miraculous rescue spearheaded by his mom and with the aid of prosthetics he helped design, Aron returned to his outdoor passions, completing elite mountaineering projects which remain unrepeated even to this day. He has interviewed with Tom Brokaw, David Letterman, and Jay Leno, and received standing ovations and industry-leading testimonials from over five hundred groups around the world. Attendees credit Ralston's story with encouraging them through disease, disability, and loss, even saving their lives from suicide and depression. Aron's incredible triumph in the face of insurmountable odds inspires audiences to harness the power of their deepest motivations, relationships, and mindset to transform personal and professional "boulders" into their blessings. Today, Ralston continues to pursue high-altitude adventures, advocates for wilderness protection, and tries to keep up with his two spirited children, Leo and Elisabetta.This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder. Her latest book, How to Survive Survival: A Guide for Turning Life’s Hardest Moments Into Meaningful Contribution for the World was released in 2025.  Jessica is also the author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six, published in 2014, which became a New York Times Bestseller. Jessica is the founder of Soul Speak Press, a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on stories from women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something.When she’s not writing or speaking, Jessica is traveling the world with her Swedish husband and two “half Vikings.” She aims to lead a life shaped by curiosity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.