“When people asked about my summer expedition to Pakistan, I found a myriad of ways in which I could answer. All were true, but some were substantially more brief than others. To family and friends I prefaced the complete experience with, ‘I'm really sorry. I nearly died. I could have killed Scott. It was my negligence, and I promise it won't happen again.’ I watched as their faces melted from excitement to concern to heartbreak. Tears were shed and I saw their trust in me evaporate."

“Fault in judgment and action call on the individual to own his or her mistake. I've apologized. I'm grateful to have learned. And because of that lesson, I'm now a safer climber. I count on seeing my future — all purpose is directed toward staying alive. After all, life is awfully fragile, and something as trivial as a tiny stick breaking in the woods can change its course.”