

Krakauer is now pushing a third mystery poison. However, it was speculated that he died two weeks before his remains were found and that he could have accidentally poisoned himself.What does the phrase into the wild mean to Jon Krakauer? The exact date and time of his passing are unknown. Inside, Chris’ decomposing body was discovered in a sleeping bag. It was on September 6, 1992, that a group of hunters came across the bus and contacted authorities. note that stated that he was injured, near death, and needed help. He went back to the bus and even left an S.O.S. Furthermore, he was unaware that an abandoned hand-operated cable car was in the vicinity, and it could have helped him exit. However, the trail was blocked by the ferocious Teklanika River and he did not have a map of the area either. In real life, this event did take place.Īfter over two months there, Chris wanted to return to civilization. In the film, a turning point for the character is when he is unable to successfully preserve the meat of a moose that he shoots. He also maintained a journal, which tells us that his source of food was either the plants that he foraged or the animals that he was able to hunt.

He had some rice, a gun, a few books, some camping gear, and some personal effects on him. Although the electrician apparently tried to convince Chris to delay this forsaken trip, the latter was quite adamant and refused to give in.Įventually, Chris came across an abandoned bus near Denali National Park, which was where he set up camp. Chris had introduced himself as Alex, and Jim also stated that he was quite worried about the boy’s ability to survive in the wild. A local electrician named Jim Gallien had given him a ride to Stampede Trail, outside the town of Healy. By the end of that summer, he had made his way to Carthage, South Dakota, where he worked in a grain elevator.īut Chris’ ultimate destination was Alaska, and in April of 1992, he hitchhiked to Fairbanks. He even donated $24,000 to OXFAM, which was his college savings. It was at this point in his life that he adopted an itinerant lifestyle. In 1990, he graduated from Emory University with degrees in history and anthropology. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia. I will never forget craning my neck in search of leniency, only to see the look of sadistic pleasure that lit up my father’s eyes and his terrifying smile - like an addict in the climax of his high.” However, both parents went on to deny the claims that the daughter had made.Ĭhris was academically gifted and was also the captain of the cross-country team at W.T. This unhappy domestic situation really had an impact on Chris, and it is believed that this was one of the major factors that made him adopt the nomadic lifestyle later on.Īn excerpt from Carine’s book described a beating that the two children received: “The snap of the leather was sharp and quick between our wails. In 1976, the family relocated to Annandale, Virginia, where the father was employed with NASA.Ĭarine went on to write a book about the entire ordeal called ‘The Wild Truth.’ In it, she claims that her father was an alcoholic and that her parents often inflicted verbal, physical, and sexual abuse on them and each other. It was almost as if Walt lead a double life.

However, both of Walt’s relationships overlapped and Chris’ half-brother, Quinn, was born after him. He had a younger sister, Carine, and six half-siblings from Walt’s first marriage. Image Credit: Carine McCandless, Colorado Public RadioĬhris was born in El Segundo, California, to Wilhelmina “Billie” McCandless and Walter “Walt” McCandless in 1968. But to understand the man and his motivations, we must first learn more about his background. He journeyed across North America and eventually made it to Alaska in 1992, where he breathed his last. It discusses the life of Christopher Johnson McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp), an Emory University graduate who gave it all up to live a nomadic life. The screenplay was adapted from Jon Krakauer’s book of the same name. Yes, ‘ Into The Wild’ is based on a true story.
