It’s one of the great stories Jon Krakauer investigated and published in a Hiking Magazine before gathering them into an amazing book. Then someone turned it into the most romantic, heroic, and epic film I know. Into the Wild is right up there with Easy Rider (even if you don’t like the film, just close your eyes and listen to the music!) and Into the West (again, great music and a really pathetic, romantic and moving story line). Christopher J. McCandless (February 12, 1968 – August 1992) was an American wanderer who died near Denali National Park after hiking alone into the Alaskan wilderness with little food or equipment, living in an abandoned bus in the middle of nowhere. This is the short version. The longer version is much more exciting.

Just to demonstrate what a close knitted and agreeing family we are: I have tried for years to organize a really amazing and romantic evening of film and longing, watching films that start with Into…, only to be told to shut up and hand over the remote control. There is nothing quite like a lovely, tender-caring family. So, here I am writing, listening to RTE Gold playing Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Byrds, and Steppenwolf, Robbie Robertson and The Band, and Roger McGuinn. Here I am, the last of the romantic. And longing.

I never played that music to Pádraig, and when I tried, it didn’t really go down that well. You can imagine my amazement when I discovered he was reading Into the Wild with a really good friend on Cape Cod, and the friend was reading it to him in the ICU. So the plan is to get Pádraig ready to go onto this trip. To Alaska. (I kind of discussed it with his friend, and I think he might join us – that is if Pádraig and his friend will allow me to join them:) Klick here to see where we’ll be going.

It was incredible today to see the effort Pádraig was making. Over the past few days, he had rested: really low pulse, very quiet. Today, we found out what he had been doing. Gathering his strength to get ready. He moved his feet and toes, and trying very very hard to lift up one of his legs. The latter didn’t work out quite yet, but he is clearly getting there. You could see the effort in his whole body. We called in his nurse to show her and together we watched how Pádraig was trying to move so very hard. He even moved his left hand and arm, his eyes were open, and there was a great presence there. – And then, for no reason, the nurse started to talk about this weird movie with a story back from the eighties, apparently a true story, of this lad that left everything behind, this movie she had watched by accident one night, at home, on her own, and she so like it! Isn’t that strange and wonderful? Today was a turning point, one of those days when I know that Pádraig will make it – into the Wild.

Today’s German Music Tip
Helene Fischer, Atemlos durch die Nacht (2013). No – I don’t like this song, but Helene Fischer is one, if not the most prominent singer. The music – it’s like what my parents would have listened to 30 years ago during their holidays on Mallorca. This song has almost 4m clicks on youtube. A lot of grandchildren must have spend long afternoons with their grandparents, showing them how youtube works!

What’s hot
Alaska
What’s cold
Helene Fischer
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Labskaus

Twitter: @forPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org