Ok, hold on. Straight up: Do not watch this if you’re squeamish or aren’t interesting in staring real-life blood and guts in the eye.
The idea of publishing this video is this: we all need to embrace and understand how dangerous BASE jumping is. We’ve lost so many amazing athletes to this thing and others are merely getting damaged for life. We don’t usually publish stuff like this, but BASE jumping is dangerous and we feel it’s important that the consequences are known.
This video shows Ammon McNeely, a famous aid climber and big time BASE jumper, sitting and calmly talking to his camera and showing is nearly broken off foot after colliding with a cliff face mid-flight. It’s very gnarly to watch. Ammon lost 3 pints of blood in the ordeal and his life was barely saved by local climbers and search and rescue.
Here, Ammon McNeely described what happens in his own words.
“We were with one other jumper who was new, and I voted that Andy goes first, the two new guys go in the middle, and I go last. They had perfect exits, great openings with no wind. I jumped, probably took a tad longer delay than I should have, being it was a new exit with new brake lines, and immediately had a 180-degree opening. I struck the cliff with my left foot and continued rag dolling down the cliff where I finally came to rest on a sloping ledge. I knew I was banged up, but to my utter surprise my foot was flipped on its side looking very similar to a Nalgene bottle with just a sliver of skin keeping it on.”
“I was absolutely prepared to wake up the next morning, minus a foot.”
“I joked about going full pirate mode with a peg leg, but knew it could be a reality and was very said about it. Somehow, they saved it.”
“So, the question is; Do we stand up and take the risks and have a blast enjoying our passions? Or, do we hide in the shadows, being afraid of what might happen if we are so bold to follow our dreams?” – Ammon McNeely
wow thats amazing! he is extremely lucky to come out of this alive! that is a horrifying incident! i am sorry that happened to you but im glad your ok. just make sure you dont do it again
“It hurts”… Really?!!
All the news outlets are writing about how calm this guy is. He’s not calm. He’s actually just in shock, which is just making him look calm. It’s also helping keep him alive. Trust me I’m an orthopaedic surgeon and have seen this a lot before. He’s lucky to come out of it alive.
Damn, kinda looks like my leg about this time last year….urgh
for real… Stoked you’re feeling and lookin’ better, buddy.
you were right, i shouldn’t have looked.
this guy is way too calm…
he is in shock thats why he’s so clam