Christopher McCandless

Chris had a big impact in my life, his way of living life, his way of thinking, everything. I have been inspired with his story, in so many ways i feel like he felt. The movie is a great representation of what I believe his life was. Emile did a great job and one of my favorite scenes is when he says good bye to Ron, from my research I know that Ron Franz was only the name of the character in the movie, but he was real. I would like to know what happened to him?! I also know that Krakauer contacted him and that he had taken Chris´s advice on traveling, but what happened after? is there any picture of him? thanks!!! and happy new year.

~SS

how do you know this ? what i mean is how did you find this out.

bit late to the party but better late than never in answering eh?
he took Chris' advice on travelling and bought a campervan that he set up on the spot where Chris had camped previously just outside Oh-My-God Hot Springs, genuinely sitting and waiting for Chris to come back. Later he picked up two hitchhikers on his way back from a drive to his hometown, and after he began to tell them about Chris, one informed him of his death. I read this in Krakauer's book and it broke my heart. Franz, or whatever his real name was, as a result denounced his Christian faith and hit the whiskey. He said he hoped it would kill him, but all it did was make him sick, 'very, very sick'.

Ronald Franz was a fictitious name given to Russel Fritz to protect his privacy. He has passed on and is no longer with us but, from what I was told, was a very generous and kind man. This is why I share his name to those interested to know who he was as I did a few years ago. Sean Penn hit a home run with the scene where Chris says goodbye to "Ron" in the movie. I should say they all did a remarkable job with that scene as it's one of a couple that chokes me up to tears every time I watch it. So Kudos to Sean, Emile, and Hal, I still think this movie deserves more recognition than it received.
~SS

I am so glad that someone posed this question. I just finished the movie and cannot wait until I read the book. In the movie, I was more touched by the friendship between the older man and the younger man, what each taught one another, and of course, the final scene where they say goodbye. The loss that this old man must have felt after connecting with Chris must have been monumental. It left me wondering more about him. What effect being touched by an angel on this earth had upon him and if there was any way to find out.
I figured that he had passed on. I hope that he is sharing adventures with Chris in the greatest place that G-d can bless any one of us with......I know that Chris didn't have a death wish but even if he did, why do people feel that is so bad? Being with G-d and those blessed souls that passed on is the ultimate gift. Yes, of course, I wish that Chris had lived and that he went on to write a book or somehow managed to touch my life. I am a year older than him and blown away by the kind of person he was and that to this date I have not met a living person like him.

Ron Franz picked up two hitch hikers and mentioned Alex to them. The Indian told Ron that Alex's body was found in Alaska. Ron then became an atheist and bought a bottle whiskey and got drunk for the first time since he became sober.

Did he become an alcoholic again?

Hot Springs, genuinely sitting and waiting for Chris to come back. Later he picked up two hitchhikers on his way back from a drive to his hometown, and after he began to tell them about Chris, one informed him of his death. I read this in Krakauer's book and it broke my heart.