I have never been emotionally moved by a movie,a true story than that of Chris McCandless..I cried at the end ,but throughout the movie the attitude to life of Chris McCandless gave me a lot to think about of my own life . . I think Chris was a wonderful young man who had the determination to be himself and do what he wanted to do ,a lot of us don't but wish we had have or will do but probably won't,he has certainly given me something to think about,I will never forget Christopher McCandless.

Carine, I don't know if you will ever get this reply. I have been searching for a way to contact you since 2005. Just so you know I am not one of those crazy, movie followers, that want to get the behind the scenes view, here is a little background on myself.

In May of 2005 I moved to Alaska from Iowa. I was in search of a life. I was falling apart and needed to find something that I could call my own. Wither that be a new home in another state, or people that didn't know my name. I moved to Denali National Park to work at one of the resorts. This is where I first read Into The Wild. I ran across it because a friend I worked with told me that it would change my life. It did. There was an instant connection with the book. I understood Chris! I was able to hike to the bus, and now I am writing you to say just this.....I believe in what he was saying. I know what he was explaining. And he was a wonderful, inspirational person.

Forever understand that he gave me, us, a gift. Never give up. And fight for what you believe in.

Thank you for allowing me to know this story. God Bless.

I just recently watched Into The Wild with my family...very moving and will take you deep within the depths of your own life to evaluate how you are living and if you are living the life you desire.

What disturbs me the most, though, is the continual criticism that people have about Chris and his journey. It was his journey, no one else's. No one is asking for sympathy (although he and his family have mine,) the story is about his story. Does it matter that he had a turbulent life before he left? Does it matter that he went unprepared? Sure...to the "A" types of the world who cannot grasp the larger picture.

Chris lived...he lived and followed a course that he chose.

There is much to be said about that - that SHOULD be said about that.

For the everlasting critics; you (like the people Chris appeared to be avoiding) have missed the point. Go get lost in your own wilderness for a while and see what you learn about yourself.

To his family and friends: Thank you for allowing us to read and watch his story. I found it moving and poignant.

Wow, so judgmental, so condescending. And yet you tell others not to condescend to you in the same breath. Straight up a$$whole I'd say. "Married, successful.." gag. As if you're above it all and obviously a better person than Chris since you still happen to be alive, married and successful, which of course is based on YOUR definition of success. You must be the stupid one here, since you paid what sounded like too much money to sit through a preachy movie for 2 hours, when at least half way through it, based on your obviously superior intelligence, you should have gotten up, and left the theatre, and perhaps asked for your money back on the way out. But you didn't. You strike me as a person who doesn't know what love really means. Sad you are.

Absolutely beautiful posting Kelly. You hit the nail right on the head: "For any of Chris's critics, I am sure he would think its funny, just as my brother laughs when people tell him " you gave up your entire future". People like that just don't get it and they never will."

Peace,

-Alejandro

Dear Jeff Johnson,

My name is Lauren-Amy Kellegher from Newcastle in England. I'm a 19 year old drama student studing a three year degree in acting at Central School of Speech and Drama in London. I apologise for this direct approach but over the next few months I am working with a company to devise a play based on Chris McCandless, who it seems you may have knew as well as his sister, Carine McCandless. I'm writing to ask whether or not you would be willing to communicate or give any information or stories that might help me and the company I'm working with give the true Chris! It is very important to me to show what he was about as he seems to be a one in a million!

If you could please let me know whether you wish to talk with me that would be great as I dont want to cause any upset or hassle.

My email is Lauren_amy_k@hotmail.com

Home telephone is 0044191 413 8560

Thankyou for you time and consideration on this matter.

Lauren-Amy x

Hi Carine,

I really, really hope you get this message. I just finished the book (Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild) about your brother. The book was fascinating. These individuals that call him stupid, unprepared, egotistical, etc. are not even able to grasp or begin to understand the surface of a mind like Chris'.

Immediately when I started reading, I understood his idiosyncrasies...it was then confirmed when I read about his run-in with the giftedness program in 3rd grade. I was a gifted student, and now a gifted adult. You may have run across this, or already know this but I am pasting info from "Signs of Giftedness". You can look at any site on Adult Giftedness and it will be the same information...

As you will see, giftedness is less about intellect and more about how you process the world around you. It is a tough road...a road with more depth and colors than one can imagine, but it is a lonely road. Every minute of every day is a drive to be your best, conquer injustice, and live fully. The amount of pressure a gifted person puts on their mind, bodies, and soul would knock a "normal person" out of the water. The way Chris thought, the choices he made...there was something else driving him...something beautiful, and bigger than this world that is condemning him. This was his lesson to learn, and I know he knows that, and that is why he was ok with it, and still is. :)

Kind Regards,

Stacey Turis

SIGNS OF GIFTEDNESS IN ADULTHOOD
by Elyse Killoran

The vast majority of adults who were labeled *gifted* in childhood are unaware that their advanced development would continue to have an impact throughout their lives. Contrary to popular belief, giftedness is not characterized by high intelligence alone. Rather, gifted individuals experience early & exceptional psychological, spiritual, and intellectual development. As a result, gifted adults exhibit common personality traits and face similar challenges on the road to self-actualization.

Gifted adults demonstrate:

1. Qualitative differences in information processing -- characterized by: unique perception and awareness; a sense of humor and creativity outside the norm; questioning, searching for truth, intuitiveness; insightfulness; comfort with both divergent thinking (breaking things into components) and synergistic thinking (putting things together to form something new and different); relentless curiosity and heightened creative drive; more process-oriented than product-oriented; hold divergent values compared to mainstream culture.
   
   
2. High sensitivity -- characterized by: sensitivity to others often combined with a sense of personal alienation and loneliness; acute awareness of complexities and consequences; heightened responsivity to expectations of others.
   
   
3. Intensity -- characterized by: high excitability; high energy level; emotional reactivity; high arousal of central nervous system.
   
   
4. Multipotentiality -- characterized by: having capabilities in many areas and domains of talent; can move fluidly from one pursuit or interest to the next; have the ability to juggle many things at once.
   
   
5. Idealism -- characterized by: striving for moral integrity; interest in social reform & service; extraordinarily high standards; low tolerance for mediocrity and frustration.
   
   
6. Perfectionism -- characterized by: self-criticism; labeling themselves as "scattered"; having a lowered sense of entitlement to make mistakes; identifying easily with failure; thinking they are more likely to blame than others; difficulty taking credit for achievement and abilities ("imposter" phenomena).
   
   
7. Internal locus of control -- characterized by feelings of: being out of step and on a separate path; being "Other"; not fitting in; striving for Inner Authenticity may experience deep conflicts between needs for self-actualization and maintaining traditional relationships.
   
   
8. Strong entelechy (from Greek for "having a goal") -- characterized by: the need for self-determination, for self-actualization; leadership qualities; achievement-oriented; interested in non-traditional careers and professions.
   
   
9. Intense moral commitment -- characterized by: seeing injustice and doing something about it; willingness to stand up for one's beliefs; outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for granted.
   
   
10. Global view -- characterized by respect for all human beings; a greater capacity for empathy; concern for others--especially children; sensitivity and warmth.

Hi Carine,

I am writting to you all the way from India. I must tell you that your brother has immensely influenced my life. i heard about the Chris through Sean's site. i am a great fan of his.

I love the movie and feel sadened at the fact that u were so close to rescuing him but didnt coz he was suffocating surrounded by his 'social demons.' make no mistake, this does not include your parents. Here, in India there are fewer people who go through parental abuse...comparatively. Also, i am amazed by how free, poeple almost like your brother, are.

It was not about your brother having the courage or the guts to do something like this. when some may refer to his feet as stupid and naive, i must confess that i totally disagree with you all. Pls do not reply for the sake of your sanity's publicity. i am pretty sure that you all (all those who consider Supertramp as Naive) do not connect to his flow...his feeling...or his thots. I feel stupid for having to tell people like u this fact however i must clear my congestion. Hence, here's the difference between u and his thots.

“It takes more than being a human to walk into the wild, most times with everything and rarely with someone or something .... Alone;

We would think braveness, courage, sacrifice and u, minus the ego... to be ready for a trip into the trees; let alone trek.

But what if u were born to be wild, my luxury is ur denial...ur rage; these, ur social barriers, got u corned so close to the unbreakable that ur wilderness is re-born.

u hate pretenders not like lovers say,. Hugs thrown on carefully chosen bodies, hypocrites...sex to flesh trade think of all the things from ur wishlist...run! Before ur breath run u out.

Then,

u walk without courage, ego, braveness or having sacrificed. burn power right in front of ur eyes to finally realize that freedom is not in the mind but it is felt... and felt, only when u feel ur lungs grow trees. Its breeze letting u know ur only essential, is to feel strong rather than being strong.

I call this freedom 'Supertramp'.

Supertramp is a thought, dedicated to two persons. Christopher McCandless a. k. a. Alex and me.

Alex, a brilliant orator in the thoughts of nature. reads books...lot of them on Flora and Fauna. Graduated, but walked away from all responsibilities of ordinary human being. gave all his savings to Oxfam..., left his sister (the only one he knew who knew) and i am not evening mentioning his parents as everything else (he was till now linked to) in his eyes was materialistic. All this shedding, not because of a new skin but an old one wakened from underneath.

Me, an ordinary human who HAS TO make a living for living. sometimes, luxurious...otherwise a close to reality dreaming. Fears his weakness in his strength, attached to all mortal and immortal entities fed by his ancestors and being fed by his current social family.

It is what u would feel in between these two characters and not what u choose; because...u have already chosen. “

Thank you ... i and those who love Supertramp aint here to forced feed our thot but let u know that u havent understood the meaning for being free in the wild.

I realize that this reply is late. But wow, Carine what an amazing story. I have never been moved by any film or story and for some reason this really got to me. (mind you both my grandparents were holocaust survivors) and my family has had nothing short of a fortunate history. So I feel that says a lot. I'm probably crazy for asking but I have so many questions to ask you and it seems that if this is the real you this may be a way to connect. Anyways if and when you do happen to see this comment and you respond ill leave an email for you from there. I don't want to post my contact info so lets take it from there...

~omangrafikai

Wow, I think I am coming to this thread a bit belatedly (I notice most of the posts here are 1 to 2 years old). I read each and every one of them and see truth in all of them, given the very limited information that I know based on reading Jon Krakauer's book and watching the movie based on it.

Chris sounds like he was a very enigmatic young man, even to his closest friends and family members and those he met on the trail. I think that is part of his appeal; it's the mystery of what we _don't_ know about Chris McCandless--and that no one will ever know--that intrigues so many of us around the globe. We can make judgments from afar, and see traits in him that are at all the same time brave, adventurous, reckless, thoughtless, fearless, courageous, commitment-phobic, troubled, hurting, altruistic, and selfish. Yet we will never know Chris the man, and that is what both disturbs and fascinates us all.

As mysterious as he is, though, the fable of his journey is one with which many of us can identify: a lost soul troubled by the cruelties and falsehoods of the world, who for better or worse leaves everything behind in search of deeper meaning. I was once one of those lost souls who went on a lonely journey of my own. I learned a lesson that he tragically never did (in my opinion--who knows? Maybe he learned it in his heart when it was too late). One doesn't always need to leave everyone and everything behind to discover life's truths. Often, the answers to life are right in front of you--and within you and other people--if only you will stop journeying to listen.

Dear Carine,

I just hung up the phone with my brother. He just had lunch at the Cabaret in South Dakota. He is again back on the road searching. I am writing to you as so many must because although most feel a connection for many personal reasons, I feel like I know you. My brother is 43, never married, no kids, and has traveled the world. He is my best friend. The only one on this earth who I feel true love for. He graduated from college in 89, shortly before Chris. He graduated with honors and took off just as Chris did. We like you experienced a childhood that fused us together in a bond that is unexplainable to most. Our father was very abrasive, and not until he died in 91 did we find out we had a brother he had fathered while married to our mother. Our connection to Chris and your story is unbeleivable. Suffice it to say, we get it. We get your unconditional love and support for someone who only found peace in nature away from the toxic human contact.

I currently live in Fairfax VA. I know that you must get approached daily in hopes to be met. I would love for you to speak to my brother because you see, I wonder if Chris would still be searching as my brother seems to. I want him to find peace with society. To not sturggle daily with the betrayel of human beings. I will never be able to keep him from a lonely hike alone up a mountain nor would I want to. But I want him to find a balance that he so deserves. Please consider contacting me. reedyshelly@hotmail.com

I hope you are well. I am so sorry for your life without Chris. I think about my brother on his adventures and I think I could be you one day. I tell him everytime I talk to him I love him. If he doesn't return, I know he was at peace. No fire and brimstone, just pure inner quiet.

Thank you, Shelly Reedy