Jump Or Die- Reader's Digest May Issue

I think that this was a very enlightening article that showcases one's will to live and the love that we have for each of our family members and friends which cause us to persevere despite daunting obstacles in our path.

However, I think that it was very foolish of Tom Murphy to ignore the warnings that were placed and go right on ahead for the sake of an adrenaline rush. Did he not think of the dangers that would occur if he went ahead. From the article, it appears to me that he did consider some of the dangers but had nevertheless gone ahead. Had he not survived, his family and friends would be grieving.

Nevertheless, I fully appreciate what he was prepared to do and had gone through just to see his family and friends again. The experience of surviving an avalanche must have been reasonably traumatic considering that he was in the midst of several tonnes of snow. He was terribly lucky to have survived that part of his entire ordeal. The desperation he must have felt when he was enable to contact his friend, Elliott Garrett, while he was out there alone and freezing in the bitter cold. But at least he kept his head cool and thought out a solution to his problem by deciding to descend to the bottom of the valley. This might not have been the wisest decision but I think that it was better to have tried rather than give up straight away. The parts where he actually jumped off cliff faces were the most impressive because of the love for his family and friends that called out to him giving him the strength to go on. Also he had typed out his moments on the cliff as a comfort to his family had he not survived. When he had finally reached the bottom he still persevered and finally got through and was saved.

In conclusion, I think that this article was a showcase of perseverance and the love between all humans as well as one's will to live

By Rachel Tan (16)