Mountain Man Refused To Let Illness Stop Him. Courage Plus Grit
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Published 2024-06-27
Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disease with no known cure, that gets progressively worse & causes a loss of balance, numbness. in the fingers and great fatigue.
This was filmed when a group of friends from the environmental movement offered to take Mr. Smith on a short expedition into the remote, magnificent red rocks country not far from Lake Powell, so he could test his strength and spend a few, days outdoors.
Mr. Smith speaks of his experiences in the back country and his three years in the Marines.
Long before being struck by multiple sclerosis, Smith, who lived in Logan Utah, had gained a reputation in the mountain West as a renaissance man — an athlete who quoted poetry, a ranger who composed songs about man's relationship to nature & an author of the book titled “Windsinger”.
For two years he was a ranger in Canyonland National Park; before that the first forest service naturalist and wilderness patrolman in the rugged Sawtooth Mountain of Idaho. He says he grew up with the typical Westerner's “macho marksman” attitude. But he reached a turning point when he began to take up mountain climbing. “For the first time, I entered the wilderness without a goal of taking something out of it—without wanting to bring hack a coonskin to hang on the well,” he recalled.
“Windsinger,” which incorporated his photographs and song lyrics, was “dedicated to the concept that Americans are starting to cast aside the invader‐exploiter mentality. An awareness is growing, a nagging, gnawing inner feeling that we've gone wrong and have learn a new lifestyle. We've rebounded off all the frontiers and are now discovering that the American Went is a new kind of frontier of spiritual a discovery.”
When he learned of his disease, he almost lost hope. He woke up each morning not knowing whether his fingers would be nimble enough to strum his guitar. Blurred vision forced him to give up one of his favorite hobbies—flying. Even worse, he said, was the mental stress. But he made up his mind "to fight the disease with music.” He gave concerts and talks for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Most of all, he said, he wanted to fight industrial encroachment on the West's wild lands like the Escalante.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by the immune system mistakenly attacking the protective covering of nerve fibers (myelin) in the central nervous system, which disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
The exact cause of MS is unknown. It's considered an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. Several factors may increase the risk of developing MS, including genetics, certain environmental factors (such as low vitamin D levels and smoking), and possibly viral infections.
MS symptoms vary widely and depend on the amount of nerve damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently, while others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms. There is no cure for MS, but treatments can help manage symptoms and modify the course of the disease.
Researchers are continuously exploring new treatments and seeking to understand the causes of MS. This includes studying the role of genetics, environmental factors, and the immune system in the disease. Advances in disease-modifying therapies offer hope for better management of MS, reducing the impact of the disease on daily life.
Gary Smith died in 1988.
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All Comments (21)
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An old saying “ when the going gets tough… the tough get going”. These people with this “cant stop me” attitude are inspiring people to be with. They make you humble by comparison
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I admire people like Gary Smith who don't let their birth defects or disability hold them back in any way shape or form. Thanks for the write up on Mr. Smith.
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The title is amazing! I was proud because I ran 23.7 miles, continue to run about 10-15 miles twice a week, bought a Peloton, and an Oculus and fitness apps for it. He is very inspiring and now I’ll push myself even harder. It sounds like I’m doing a lot but it’s just a lot of *stuff*. I need a real goal. His life is galvanizing. He lives on through the inspiration he provides 26 years later. Truly an MS Warrior!!! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
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when I see those petroglyphs vandalized by idiots it makes me sick to my stomach people like that have no business out in the wilderness
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Incredible and inspiring. Having just returned from a small hike on an accessible trail with my Uncle, this is impressive. Thank you Mr. Hoffman🌞
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Very amazing what people can do and dedicated they are when they are handicap. Pretty interesting music. I know a lot of people like that and they don’t let nothing get in their way. It’s just so amazing. thanks for sharing this video David you take care yourself buddy talking to you on the next one. Have a wonderful day.
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i suffer from shizophrenia but this illness won't drag me down. I will keep stuggeling, even when i die trying. I will never give up...
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This is amazing. I have been to these places and share his love of that landscape. I will try and follow his example and continue to get what I can out of life. Struggle and tragedy are inevitable, but some choose not to suffer them. My Dad had MS and gave it hell to the very end, putting off the wheelchair for 20 (!) years after he should have been in one. I am grateful to have a fraction of the fighting spirit these men had. Great film David thank you! An invigorating story!
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inspiring
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"There's only so much time left". It strikes me hard because I never got to live my life. Some other people thought it would be be awesome to ruin many innocent people's lives, and the rest of us just dealt with it. Man alive, how fun it would be to live my life.❤ And my life is already nearing its end :/ So be it, that's ok, I'm not that important.
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Maybe it’s partially because I have walked in many of the locations in the piece, but this one hits particularly hard. Thanks for archiving and sharing. My only request is that the director of your films, be mentioned in your liner notes. (shows my age). We almost got there with credits this time, but not quite. Keep on keeping on.
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Terrific tune!🎉🎉🎉🎉
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Thank you David. It strengthened me a lot. is he still alive? I hope so.
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If only younger people still thought like this - we've raised a bunch of victims
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Thanks!
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I like the flute in the song @ 7:20. ❤❤❤
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Do you know when this was recorded? I know you mention the year he passed, but not the date of this film. I am unable to find that information online currently
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☝️ what a guy 🙏 inspiration and a great guy 🤠 ive lost the use of my left arm and can’t really play the guitar anymore 😔
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Reminds me of Tred Barta
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are you silly? im still gonna send it
