17 Comments
User's avatar
Alexandra's avatar

Amazing story, I was hooked from the start. How did this experience affect your feelings towards death?

Rob Hardy's avatar

oooooh that's a juicy question that's def worth its own essay. but the short version is that it gave me a bone deep sense of gratitude for being alive, and a keen awareness that it could all end with one missed step. i also have increasing amounts of conviction that i'm still here for some larger purpose. like, whenever i tell or reflect on this story, i can't help feel like my life was somehow spared because my job here hasn't been done yet. it could be that i'm just unreasonably lucky, but i've chosen to interpret it as imbuing my life with more significance than it might've otherwise had.

Jibran el Bazi's avatar

Thanks for sharing Rob 💜

Rob Hardy's avatar

my pleasure! thanks for reading jibran 🙏

Jim McQuaid's avatar

I’d go with Chris melton

Nan Hutton's avatar

Quite the story. You have a good mom.

Rob Hardy's avatar

yep, she's pretty great! 🥰

thanks for reading, nan!

Jim McQuaid's avatar

There’s a film in this story. (But thanks for sharing - amazing account.

Rob Hardy's avatar

wonder if i can get james franco to play me, or if he's burned out on this genre 🤔

Nat Couropmitree's avatar

Great story Rob! I enjoyed reading it. Kept me captivated.

Rob Hardy's avatar

thanks for reading, nat! 🙏

Chris Harvey's avatar

Always a pleasure reading your writing Rob! Wow, you almost died. Crazy lucky you had cell phone coverage and didn't die from the fall. Miracle!

a. b. oakes's avatar

i like knowing your mom calls you "dude." thanks for sharing + surviving.

Jane Manthorpe's avatar

'What a great story Rob. The way you wrote the story I could feel the pain and the fear, so well written. I would say it was not your time to go, the universe still needs you to fullfil your mission here. And one of those is writing and coaching. I've always admired how you write, you have a gift. So glad you made though, as we would not have experienced this gift you have. ◡̈

Jeffrey Kursonis's avatar

Ouch, Wow. Great story...talk about authors needing some life experience to have something to say...you earned that one.

Michelle Varghese's avatar

Wow! Beautifully told, and also I'm glad you survived. That's insane. Thank you for opening up and sharing!

Cams Campbell's avatar

Oh boy, what a story! I have a similar story myself. I made a video about it once, to mark the 30th anniversary, but have never written about it for publishing. I should get on that.