How close have you come to death?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

A recurring Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Alex Honnold said elsewhere, not written here
It was probably before my career, I had an accident when I was younger, I fell down a mountain, it was a little bit ridiculous but, I slipped unprepared on the ice. It was probably one of the few times where was sure that I was about to die.

52 Insights, 14 January 2019 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 216 →
Sarah Millican English comedian
My sister saved me from drowning. I shouted at her because she pulled me out of the pool and hurt my arm.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 January 2018 source ↗
Edith Bowman Scottish radio DJ and television presenter
I had a car crash not long after passing my test, driving mates to a club on a Saturday night. Thankfully, everyone was OK – as was my dad about his car, which was a write-off.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 February 2021 source ↗

More from Alex Honnold

View profile →
Question When was the last time you changed your mind about something? Change of mind
I mean, the first thing that comes to mind is like in high school I was reading a bunch of Ayn Rand, like objectivist, all super black and white, basically like f the poor, people should work harder, they should try harder. And now as a 30-year-old I’m basically like all about trying to help the poor or trying to help the planet in different ways. Trying to make the world a better place. It’s like a full 180 from the black and white that I was into in high school.
Recorded Tim Ferriss, The Tim Ferriss Show, The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss, 1 January 2018 source ↗
Question What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months? Money & investment
Yeah, I mean, no question. I mean the last van that I bought, a $10,000 van and lived in it for 10 years. And then this new van that I bought, it’s a new van so it’s obviously a bit pricier, but it’s like pretty awesome and I’ll probably live in it for another ten years. Well, maybe not actually live in it, but, you know, I’ll be based out of it.
Recorded Tim Ferriss, The Tim Ferriss Show, The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss, 1 January 2018 source ↗
Question What is your greatest fear? Identity & self
I think when I was younger, I had a lot of the fears that, that you expect from people. Like I was kind of afraid of spiders and things like that. And I think with, you know, years of dealing with fear nonstop, they've all sort of fallen away. I, I mean, I guess my greatest fear is like public embarrassment or public performance, or like what I said earlier about opera singing I'm like, that is still for sure that would be a nightmare. And like, yeah, I could do it. But I would be so bummed.
Recorded Adam Grant, Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, TED, 20 September 2022 source ↗

More on death & what remains

Also answered this

Harry Redknapp, Judy Murray, Simone Biles, Adam Peaty, Chris Bonington, Bradley Wiggins

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer