A couple of years back I went on a mountain trip, alone. I had walked the same path before as I intended that beautiful morning in May. I parked my car on the parking lot and put on my gear. This particular path was one of the more difficult ones, and I did not meet anyone else out there in the wilderness. After a two hour walk uphill I arrived at a cave entrance that I had passed several times in the past, but never had stopped and entered.

This day was different; I stopped, by coincidence, because my legs were a bit sore from a trip two days earlier, and I stopped to stretch out. As I was standing there my eyes caught the cave entrance; and for some reason I decided to take a closer look into the cave. Before going in I learned that my flashlight was missing from my backpack; and that should have stopped me from going in, but I said to my self that I would only go in as far as the light from the entrance went.

I remember going in; and the next minute I woke up on my side, in total darkness and with pain all over my body. I had gotten a big bump on my head that gave me a pounding headache. Not anything dangerous. I tried to get up, but a burning pain from my left leg stopped me instantly.

I found out very quickly that my left leg was totally wet from a continuing bloodstream from a wound on my thigh. Now I started to get worried. I found a lighter in my backpack, and I could inspect my wounds more closely. I didn't look good.

Luckily I always bring a first aid kit with me. My wife made me. I was able to stop the bleeding by putting a pressure bandage around my leg. And for the next two days I survived with the food and water I also carried with me. I can tell you that a lot goes on in your mind when you are in a situation like that. Will I be found? Am I to die here? Will I ever see my family again?

My wife had called the police when I did not show up at home at expected time. And luckily I had told here the location where I went. They found my car and started a search. The next day I heard someone yell into the cave. Do I need to say I felt an enormous relief? I yelled back and can not describe the gratitude I felt for being alive in that moment.

Apparently I had taken a step into the darkness and had fallen 20 feet down. The paramedics told me I had lost a lot of blood, and that without the pressure bandage I would have bleed to dead.

I can truly say that a first aid kit saved my life that day. So if you are in doubt getting a first aid kit or not – don't be.

Thank you for you time.