"On January 14, 1993, I led 15 people onto Galeras volcano in Columbia, and as I was standing on the rim, it gave us about 10 seconds warning before erupting. 1000^o C, incandescent rocks were sizzling and whistling by, first coming at me horizontally at 60 miles per hour and then raining down, as those that were shot straight into the sky fell to earth. For 15 minutes I had to lie on my back and try to avoid the incoming rocks. When it was over, I had fractured my skull, broken my jaw, nose, and both my legs, and lost my left ear. I was burned all over my legs and back. Nine people died. I lived because, I guess, somebody has to win the lottery. I've been back on that volcano half a dozen times and learned a tremendous amount about predicting eruptions. I've told that volcano, ' You're not going to defeat me'."