I am inclined to lean towards respecting the privacy of the hiker, as the medical condition may have been slightly embarrassing, seeing how he seemed hesitant to share with his folks, and Suzie Q didn't share it with us.
On the other hand, if we might learn from it, and or, prevent someone else from having to interrupt their hike…….
The story has changed quite a bit. It appears the hiker did the smart thing, is not wanting to give up, and has the right stuff. Cool on him !!!!!
SuzieQ for sure did the right thing. My kid calls for help…..I drop everything. Life, work, romance, and such will teach the kid enough about hard knocks. Parents are better suited for teaching lessons such as unconditional love. Cool on Suzie Q too.
this is exactly what I said a little while ago. if he's got enough cash to do the trail, he's got enough for a bus ticket. going to get him does nothing to help him in the larger picture.
SuzyQ, part of the magic of hiking on this trail is discovering self reliance. accomplishing something challenging increases self respect. why would you cheat him out of this?..
I think to walk on the trail or walk off the trial, it is his decision. He was as best prepared as he could possibly be. The fault was not in the preparation. Life is calling him in a different direction. Perhaps he's getting a good lesson in listening to his intuition. My two cents.
read the thread..............and this movie clip keeps popping up as I read
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLvGnro4Cgw
have no idea what to make of it
I can't understand why anyone would be opposed to picking up a child in distress, even if money was not an issue, even if there was a way to get home easily (bus, rail, etc.).
Some complain we pamper our children, to their detriment. I contend that love trumps all.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. --Rumi
No. That philosophy leads to a child that doesn't know how to fend for himself. Our mission as parents is not to help our children do everything. It is to -teach- them how to take care of themselves, and assist as needed along the way. In this case, the individual was funded enough to begin the trip with the proper gear and to put themselves up in a hotel for three days. They also gave crystal clear instructions before starting as to how to react if they asked for help. Respect their wishes and help them grow. Real love in this case doesn't mean pampering them.
Well, if he's wearing Pampers, he's gonna need Body Glide or that junk is gonna chafeeeeeeeeee...
Curious if medical condition was the result of or exasperated by going out too fast too long too hard from the starting line? Everything doesn't just magically fall out of the sky onto one's shoulders. Sometimes we are our own worse enemy. Sometimes, especially in today's "child worshipping" culture, family members and loved ones, although having good intentions, can actually stifle self reliance, independence, and personal growth. There's cause and effect going on when adapting to trail life. Can't blame everything on something else anymore. Besides, placing blame, playing the blame game, is wasting energy that can be applied to solution solving regardless of blame. It's personal responsibility time doing a thru-hike! Some obviously have issue with it. Some will have issue with the harsh reality of this post.
I am not assuming any of this applies to this hiker's situation. It's offered as food for consideration.
Wish safe travels for the hiker and family.
The hiker told his family not to let him quit. He didn't quit. I for one wouldn't want to be sick on a bus.
The hiker was brought to the ER. The treatment failed and he was taken to a specialist. The hiker and his family did the right thing. AND, the hiker is anxious to get back on the trail. Lucky for all concerned that the family didn't take advice from this thread.
After two weeks he's probably almost to the smokies...tell him if he still wants to quit you'll pick him up in Hot Springs. I didn't feel like I was really "in shape" and physically up to the task until I made it that far. Maybe he just needs another couple weeks to get into shape.
My goal was goal was Harpers Ferry, 1,000 mi, and I wanted to quit every day. I practically crawled the last 200 miles, but I finished my hike and glad I completed thé walk. . I would never spend another three months to finish the thru hike. . Bottom line, we each have our own goals, and the daily grind of long distance is quite a different experience on the trail as opposed to the view from ones couch.
UPDATE 2
Thank you again everyone!
We appreciate all the advice, positive and negative! It helps to view things from all angles!
Our hiker was given the green light to continue by the medical specialist! Now with peace of mind he can return to the trail!
He will head back after a couple days of R&R!
I shared with him how many people had contributed to this thread! He was encouraged that so many people cared!
Thank you again!
Happy Trails! 👣
Suzy Q
Our family member is back on the trail, at the previous location!
Thank you everyone for all the advice!
White Blaze is amazing! 😊
Does this hiker have a trail journal we can follow? I'd like to see how he progresses. Also, I think many people here would like to contact him (through his journal website? Or e-mail?) to offer encouragement. I, for one, admire his tenacity. He got help, solved the problem (maybe not in a way that some of us would, but he DID solve it), and he's hiking now. That makes it OK from where I sit! (Unfortunately, I am sitting, not hiking, as I'd like to be.) :-)
YUP!!! UGGGH! One has to read between so many different lines, anticipate unknowns, make assumptions, be blindfolded, spun around in circles, and then be expected to hit the bulls eye with an appropriate answer.
See? So sometimes there is "more to the story." We all need to remember that, and take that into account sometimes when something is posted here. I sometimes jump to conclusions, and have had to backtrack too. It's always best to err on the side of kindness and less judgement.