The Nightmare that Inspired a Dream

In the following extract from his book 'Life Lessons from History's Heroes' WildHearts Founder Mick Jackson describes the lasting effect that saving the life of his mountain guide Sher has had on him. It explains the passion that drives WildHearts and his sense of duty to do everything in his power to help those in need.

I stumble over the glacier like a drunkard, sweat pouring from me like spilled wine, a dying man clings to my back. I carry him through hell for what seems like forty days and forty nights, cherished images of my family and friends begin to flicker and fade to dull lifeless fictions, as if that life had never existed. I realise that soon I will collapse and we will die together on a frozen wasteland, beneath an empty sky, far from home.

At that point I am catapulted from sleep, my heart and breath racing, my mind saturated in horrors. I sit in the darkness on the edge of my bed and rock back and forth praying that I will be given the strength to make a difference and gradually I am allowed to return to sleep. I went to Kashmir to climb a mountain, to add another notch to my belt. It was an egotistic desire but life presented me with what I really needed, something deeper. I will never be able to dislodge the image of Sher's eyes when he saw my face after I came off the satellite phone and started to cry in sheer rage and frustration. As the tears froze to my face, he knew he was going to die, knew that I would leave him. To this day I am haunted by the image of those eyes and I will never be able to close my heart to them.

When I returned home to Britain I was a different man. The man I had been was left dead on the glacier. In the frozen wastes of K2 it is too cold for anything to live. There is only rock, ice and death. I remember when I finally walked out I descended to an altitude that could support plant life. It was near a village and I was assaulted by the smell of pine needles and little children laughing. I fell to my knees and drank in the sensations, consumed with gratitude as the little children danced giggling round the bedraggled madman. Returning to life after nearly losing mine made me feel that I had been given a second chance. Made me realise what we often take for granted. I saved Sher's life but he saved mine so I like to think that he and I are quits.

Mick Jackson turned back during his attempt on Broad Peak to save the life of a dying sherpa, carrying him for four days to safety. The experience taught him the true nature of humanity and he promised that if he was spared he would make a difference when he returned. WildHearts is the fulfilment of that promise.

The Scotland on Sunday magazine recently featured a 4 page interview with Mick and a report on the evolution of WildHearts, from tragedy-inspired dream to help the world's poorest people to global organisation spanning 5 continents and 22 countries. Read the special report here

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