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Interview With Don Wyman
Aired May 02, 2003 - 14:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier this hour, we brought you the amazing story of a climber, Aaron Ralston (ph), who amputated his own arm in order to free himself from a boulder that had fallen on him in Utah. Don Wyman knows just what Ralston (ph) is going through, in some sense. In the summer of 1993, he severed his own leg following an accident while clearing some trees at a strip mine. It was in order save himself, as well. Wyman is on the phone with us now, joining us from Pennsylvania. Don, good to have you with us.
DON WYMAN, AMPUTATED OWN LEG: Good to be here.
O'BRIEN: All right. There was a series of circumstances which led to you being pinned down by a big tree. Can you remember what was going through your mind as you were trapped there in that strip mine?
WYMAN: As I was trapped there under the tree, I was more frustrated being trapped than I was worried about being injured. Just, you know, you get that panic fear like you just can't get away. Being trapped is an awful feeling.
O'BRIEN: Panic is a word that will come to mind when you realize there's nothing you can do to get out. How did you stem that?
WYMAN: I just kind of realized it was a bad thing, a bad deal and I was hurt bad and I just tried to analyze the situation, what I was going to have to do to get out of there.
O'BRIEN: And, of course, you went through a whole series of scenarios, trying to get the tree cut instead of your leg, and finally were led to the conclusion. How long was that period of time before you realized that was your only way out?
WYMAN: After trying to cut and dig and everything and finally running out of oxygen, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and scream for help for a long time, hoping somebody hears me. I eventually came to the conclusion to do what I did after just a few hours.
O'BRIEN: OK. And do you think in retrospect would somebody have come along after a period of time, or did you feel like you had to take action?
WYMAN: I felt like I had to take action.
O'BRIEN: As you go, look back on that, do you remember the terrible pain? What do you remember about it most?
WYMAN: The amazing thing that sticks in my memory the most is the smell of the raw meat.
O'BRIEN: Oh, yikes. And you used also a knife, correct?
WYMAN: Yes, just an old pocket knife that I carried for digging out (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: What would be your advice then if you had an opportunity to talk to young Aaron there who is just in the hospital after having been through this ordeal?
WYMAN: You know, it may seem devastating at first, the loss of a limb. But I'll tell you what, with the amazing technology we have today, the prosthetics and stuff, he'll lead a normal life just like he did before.
O'BRIEN: And how about you? How has your life been?
WYMAN: My life has just been as normal as it ever was. The only thing, I just can't run quite as fast as I used to, but other than that, I'm fine.
O'BRIEN: And in the relatively safer business of retail, right?
WYMAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right. Well, listen, thank you for joining us, we appreciate it. Don Wyman, who 10 years ago had a similar ordeal to the one we told you about in Utah. Thanks for being with us.
WYMAN: No problem.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 2, 2003 - 14:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier this hour, we brought you the amazing story of a climber, Aaron Ralston (ph), who amputated his own arm in order to free himself from a boulder that had fallen on him in Utah. Don Wyman knows just what Ralston (ph) is going through, in some sense. In the summer of 1993, he severed his own leg following an accident while clearing some trees at a strip mine. It was in order save himself, as well. Wyman is on the phone with us now, joining us from Pennsylvania. Don, good to have you with us.
DON WYMAN, AMPUTATED OWN LEG: Good to be here.
O'BRIEN: All right. There was a series of circumstances which led to you being pinned down by a big tree. Can you remember what was going through your mind as you were trapped there in that strip mine?
WYMAN: As I was trapped there under the tree, I was more frustrated being trapped than I was worried about being injured. Just, you know, you get that panic fear like you just can't get away. Being trapped is an awful feeling.
O'BRIEN: Panic is a word that will come to mind when you realize there's nothing you can do to get out. How did you stem that?
WYMAN: I just kind of realized it was a bad thing, a bad deal and I was hurt bad and I just tried to analyze the situation, what I was going to have to do to get out of there.
O'BRIEN: And, of course, you went through a whole series of scenarios, trying to get the tree cut instead of your leg, and finally were led to the conclusion. How long was that period of time before you realized that was your only way out?
WYMAN: After trying to cut and dig and everything and finally running out of oxygen, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and scream for help for a long time, hoping somebody hears me. I eventually came to the conclusion to do what I did after just a few hours.
O'BRIEN: OK. And do you think in retrospect would somebody have come along after a period of time, or did you feel like you had to take action?
WYMAN: I felt like I had to take action.
O'BRIEN: As you go, look back on that, do you remember the terrible pain? What do you remember about it most?
WYMAN: The amazing thing that sticks in my memory the most is the smell of the raw meat.
O'BRIEN: Oh, yikes. And you used also a knife, correct?
WYMAN: Yes, just an old pocket knife that I carried for digging out (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: What would be your advice then if you had an opportunity to talk to young Aaron there who is just in the hospital after having been through this ordeal?
WYMAN: You know, it may seem devastating at first, the loss of a limb. But I'll tell you what, with the amazing technology we have today, the prosthetics and stuff, he'll lead a normal life just like he did before.
O'BRIEN: And how about you? How has your life been?
WYMAN: My life has just been as normal as it ever was. The only thing, I just can't run quite as fast as I used to, but other than that, I'm fine.
O'BRIEN: And in the relatively safer business of retail, right?
WYMAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right. Well, listen, thank you for joining us, we appreciate it. Don Wyman, who 10 years ago had a similar ordeal to the one we told you about in Utah. Thanks for being with us.
WYMAN: No problem.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
