Adrienne Cedella Brown was part of a group doing a sunset Lions Head hike. The group left her behind and continued to the top. Determined to rejoin them she continued until a hiker came along and insisted he help her get back to safety.
Cape Town, South Africa (15 January 2018) – Adrienne met Wesley William Billett while hiking up Lions Head. She had been left behind by her group and was walking along to rejoin them, only it was getting dark and she didn’t have a headlamp.
She was determined to meet up with them and Wesley refused to let her wander off into the dark so he stayed with her. They realised her group was gone when they got to the top and so Wesley helped her all the way back down the mountain.
This is the story Adrienne shared on her Facebook after searching for her hero online. She managed to find him and say thank you.
“Today this man saved my life. Literally. For real. I appreciate him so much!!! His name is Wesley. He found me today scrambling up a hiking trail trying to get to the group that left me behind. It was starting to get dark. I had no headlamps because the event organiser was supposed to provide them.”
“Let me back up… 1/2 way up the trail I disconnected from the group. It was lovely walking peacefully on my own at first, and people were SO NICE, they would ask me do you need water? a snack? Hiker culture is very caring. As I got closer the tone changed. Them: You’re still going up? It’s going to be dark on the way back! Do you have a headlamp? My response to the concerned hikers was always I’m ok, there’s a group waiting for me at the top.”
“The second to last person was upset and told me stories of tourists who have died hiking that trail without proper equipment. I again assured him the event organiser was waiting for me up top. The very last helpful person was Wesley, he asked me some of the same questions, but wasn’t satisfied with my answer.”
“He told his friends to go ahead and head back down I’m going back up with her to make sure she finds her friends. So he turned back and hiked back up the last of the route with me. When we arrived at the top the sun was gone and there was not a soul to be found from my group who were supposed to be waiting for me.”
“So Wesley said “give me your bag”, and he gave me his headlamp, and we slowly scrambled down together and he made sure I knew where to step and how to safely get down. Halfway down his friends had decided to wait for him, so then the 4 of us finished the hike with 3 headlamps.”
“I could focus on being upset by the coordinator who left me behind. But I am actually going to focus on three things,
1. I got to see the Lions Head view it’s gorgeous
2. I always do what I say I’m going to do even when it’s tough, it may take me longer but I am incredibly tenacious and I will literally climb mountains in a dress, slowly but surely and I will finish my goals.
3. I will always remember Wesley who saved my life my last night in Cape Town!”
A happy ending for both and a lovely way to share a good deed being done. We are happy that Adrienne and Wesley were reunited.
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