I'm way late on posting this, even though regular reader Carl who sent it my way, passed it along yesterday. It's a good story with an update on those hikers that were caught in a blizzard on Mt. Rainier a few days back.
Yesterday KIRO TV in Seattle/Tacoma reported that the hiker who passed aways is now being hailed as a hero. It seems that in an effort to keep his wife and friend warm, he volunteered to lie on the ground so that they could lie on top of him and have a buffer from the cold. As a result, 31 year old Eduard Burceag died of exposure.
The three hikers set out on Monday up part of Mt. Rainier. It was a pleasant spring day when they set out, and they climbed as high as the Muir Camp at about 10,000 feet. But on their descent, a sudden storm blew in that turned into a nasty blizzard that left them stranded on the mountain for two nights before rescue teams could arrive to help out. During that time, Burceag passed away, and his wife Marianna and friend David Vlad suffered frostbite and hypothermia.
Eduard's actions allowed his wife and friend to stay just warm enough that they could survive on the mountain. He has been praised for being a good friend and an energetic personality that inspired others around him. He was also reportedly a good father, who leaves behind two children. His wife and Vlad have both been treated and released, and are said to be in good condition, and they have this man to thank for that.
It's nice to get a bit more of the story, and it's hard to think about someone dying like this. But, he sacrificed himself to save his wife and friend, and for that he probably wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I salute his bravery and send my thoughts and prayers on to his friends and family.
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