Rosemary Mitchell

SANParks Honorary Rangers

Personal Message:

In 2002 aged 42 I had brain surgery to remove a brain tumour. In the subsequent 4 year recovery period I became deeply depressed. I took up running in 2004 to help combat this. I loved it from the very first run and after four years of freely running through the bush and soon overcoming the depression, I began entering races. I moved from half marathons to 20 milers to marathons to ultra marathons and in 2015, ran my first Comrades. It was the absolute highlight of my racing career and remains for me the greatest and best race in the world. I am aiming for my Green Number! In December 2017 aged 57 I was attacked by a crocodile in very deep water in a canoe on a dam in a remote national park, with a very dear 90-year-old friend. I knew my last moment had come. But I did not give up. Leaping from the water, it viciously attacked and bit me multiple times, fracturing several bones, then swallowed my right arm. With my arm down its throat, I stared into its eyes, as we tried to kick our way to shore, somehow clinging to the canoe. I thought of my 4th Comrades that I should be running the following year. I said to myself, ‘If I survive this, I can still run with one arm’. My partner Sarah had driven for help, an hour’s round trip. We reached some rocks 15 metres from shore. The croc pulled me off the boat and under, to drown me. I heard gunshots and hope surged. Thanks to Sarah’s incredible presence of mind, armed rangers had arrived and were firing in the air. Amazingly, the croc spat out my arm, still attached to my body. Somehow, terrified and weak, I swam, with two broken, bleeding arms, 66 bite wounds and only a third of my blood left, to the shore, knowing that a second croc had followed us the entire hour. My elderly friend John very tragically died not long after, from the shock of this terrible experience. Every Ultra I run, I run in his memory and will never forget the part he played in my own survival, showing no fear, and helping kick us to the shore. I was very close to death, and did not receive blood for 10 hours. For a week in ICU it was uncertain I would live. That I did live, was attributed to my extreme fitness level, from ultra marathon running. The injuries were absolutely terrible. I had 5 surgeries and could not use my hands or arms for 4 months, and the hand and arm rehab continued for 2 years. But within just 6 months, despite a dreadful croc bite in my left leg, I was running again! The following year, 2019, I was back at Comrades, and ran my best Up Run time! I thank my Comrades experiences for helping me survive this ordeal, by giving me the fitness and determination to fight for my life – and against all odds – to win! This is my second time to run Comrades for an environmental cause. I almost lost my life to a fearsome predator, but my passion for all wildlife, the natural environment and wild places, is infinite. I recently moved from Zimbabwe to live in South Africa, and it is amongst my many environmental goals and purposes, to join the SAN Parks Honorary Rangers, about which I first heard just a few months ago. They are hence my obvious choice of charities to support with my 7th Comrades!