Denver-Area Man Grateful for Life After 3 Days Stranded in Colorado’s Mountains
A Denver-area man is expressing deep gratitude for his life after surviving nearly three days stranded in the Colorado mountains when his Jeep became stuck while off-roading.
Christopher Marzak, an experienced off-roading enthusiast, embarked on an adventure in early November, driving west from Centennial in his Jeep. “I love Colorado, man,” Marzak said. “The mountains and the snow are the best.”
While off-roading near Gunnison, Marzak’s Jeep became stuck on a log. He decided to leave the vehicle and search for help on foot. As night fell, he lost his way, and soon found himself unable to return to his Jeep.
“The night got up on me when I was out there looking for somebody and I couldn’t make myself, I couldn’t get back to my Jeep,” Marzak said. “Don’t get scared a lot, but I was pretty scared.”
A snowstorm rolled in, and Marzak began to experience extreme pain. “About that time my feet started to freeze,” he recalled. “My hands, too. Frostbite was settling in.”
Despite the worsening conditions, Marzak fought to stay strong. “I wouldn’t say I lost hope, but I was losing… I was just losing me by then,” he said. He began hallucinating and imagined following groups of people who he thought would help him. Then, he stumbled across a trailer with a woman outside.
“When she saw me coming up on my hands and knees, she freaked out,” he said. When the woman approached him, she immediately recognized him. “She was like, ‘Oh my god, are you the guy with the Jeep?’” he recalls.
Miraculously, Marzak had only been about a mile away from his stranded Jeep. He was flown by helicopter to UCHealth in Denver, where doctors had to amputate his fingers and toes due to severe frostbite.
“All four of my fingers on each hand. They took five toes from my right foot,” Marzak said. “I’m OK with it because, by God’s grace, I’m here today.”
Now, as Marzak adjusts to his new life, he remains determined. “Something like this would drive somebody crazy a little bit probably, but that’s just not my attitude,” he said.
Marzak is deeply thankful for the support from his friend Chris and his coworkers since returning home. To assist with his medical expenses, Marzak’s family has set up a GoFundMe. Please note that some images on the GoFundMe page may be disturbing to some viewers.
To contribute, you can visit the GoFundMe here: [GoFundMe link].
