00:00:01.340 - 00:00:36.360

Yeah. Yeah. In the summer of 1986 the Horton family and friends met in Yosemite National Park for the adventure of a lifetime. A family climb up Yosemite's 8800 ft half dome, a climb in tribute to Bill Horton, who was dying of AIDS. They met the night

00:00:36.370 - 00:00:54.080

before around a campfire in Yosemite Valley Bill, his father, his seven brothers, his lover and several close friends. The Horton family had always been close. Many of the brothers had made this climb together in the past, but never all of them together at the same time.

00:00:54.090 - 00:01:08.340

For John Horton, this would be his seventh trip to the top about a year ago. Well, actually, about to for the last two or three years, the world I always talk about G be great to get the brothers up for years back won't even when we

00:01:08.340 - 00:01:24.650

first went up and we thought, We need to get him up, You got close, we got older. We started going our separate ways, but each time I thought just trying to get them together. Last year this year, my brother became ill. In May of last year,

00:01:24.650 - 00:01:44.920

Bill went in for his annual checkup. His doctor noticed too unusual lumps in order to biopsy. Soon after, Bill was diagnosed as having Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome AIDS. It's very hard, except, you know, my whole life just kind of flash

00:01:45.030 - 00:02:11.610

in front of me. One by one, the Hortons found out, each reacting in his own way. Well, of course, it was a bit of a shock. Naturally, Yeah. Feeling well, What's to be is to be and okay, we'll take each day, one step at a time.

00:02:11.620 - 00:02:36.570

Joey is the youngest of the seven brothers. He may have taken the news the hardest of all. I remember crying hard. I had lost the brother. Mentally, he was dead. As I saw it, Bill's gone. Yeah, but my mom said something to me that I think

00:02:36.570 - 00:02:56.400

that all my brothers have seen and has helped us built. My mom said that Bill said he was going to live life on. Am I crying? Stopped, and I remember that I was hugging my mom, Mike. Rain stopped when she said that suddenly I didn't lose

00:02:56.400 - 00:03:11.300

a brother. It's suddenly like I had a second chance of keeping Bill. Suddenly, the whole Horton family had a second chance, a second chance to be with Bill, a second chance to be strong for Bill. The climb up half dome became a symbol to the family,

00:03:11.310 - 00:03:29.080

a symbol of how, if they all work together, Bill might overcome his disease, whose village umbrella and you got to go back to the car. The preparation for the climb begins at 4 30 in the morning bills. Mental health is good, but physically he is suffering

00:03:29.080 - 00:03:48.290

from the side effects of his first chemotherapy treatment, numbness in his fingers and feet. He also continues to feel the effect of several tumors in his thigh that could cause swelling. All the stuff that so the trip is 16 miles round trip because of bills condition,

00:03:48.290 - 00:04:04.070

he'll need more water than usual to keep cool. They packed plenty, and they leave early to beat the heat. Lord, protect us, let us all be there together. What if one of us should pull away because of a strength that we need? Lord believe, and we

00:04:04.070 - 00:04:27.880

believe he'll be there in spirit together because we love each other. Guide our feet got our paths ahead all together. Amen. Ready On 3123 The Horten party will split up for the first leg of the climb. Most of the hikers will take a shorter but steeper

00:04:27.880 - 00:04:40.870

foot trail to the base of the granite half dome. Bill has been warned by his doctor to climb no more than two miles to keep strong for the final assault. Bill will ride a mule on the mule trail. He'll be accompanied by a mule driver on

00:04:40.870 - 00:04:56.170

horseback and his brother, Joey on foot, who carries the family flag. I won't say it's easy for me, but I'm in good shape to do it. And I felt kind of honored to, uh, help, brother, my brother Bill, and to be the one that's going to

00:04:56.180 - 00:05:18.050

be with him if he does have any problems. A half day later, at the foot of Half Dome, the Horton party is reunited. Bill suffers only a little saddle soreness. His father, however, is not doing well. About two miles down the trail, his legs have given

00:05:18.050 - 00:05:37.190

out. A mule has been sent back to retrieve him. Yeah, mhm. Now begins the real climb. There are no more mules, no more mule trails. The next step is what is commonly known as quarter dome, 500 ft of slippery, treacherous rock that will take the spirit

00:05:37.190 - 00:06:00.290

out of the best of them. For the Horton party and especially for Bill, this will be the true test. How his father. It's been very special with my family, and this is just another extension of that specialness that I see with the climb. We were doing

00:06:00.290 - 00:06:21.420

something together again. You know, it's not just for me. Um, it's for everybody here. Not bad for a cancer victim. Despite the climb in the heat two hours later, the entire Horton party reaches the top of Quarter Dome. It's apparent, though, that bill is extremely tired.

00:06:21.500 - 00:06:39.840

And there's another problem. Lightning. I think safety comes first. Well, I would imagine, because it does coming down. We're used to flying down. Half Dome is infamous for its deadly summer lightning storms bills. Brother Larry has seen them many times before in the past. He's just

00:06:39.840 - 00:06:56.270

run down the rocks to escape the lightning. This time, with such a large party, with their father moving slowly and Bill definitely out of steam, they might not have the time listening and aware of his own limits, Bill decides to quit at quarter Dome. I don't

00:06:56.270 - 00:07:13.630

think I'm going to make it all the way up coming up. That legs are fine. It's just the respiratory. The rest of the Horton party, however, decides to risk the lightning and push on up 400 ft of steel cable for Bill. They'll carry the family flag

00:07:13.630 - 00:07:32.590

so that Bill can see them when they reached the top. Mhm. It's wonderful as much of jerks. They're They're each one and then all the friends for each one going up for me. So I'll be up there. I just want to see the flag when they

00:07:32.590 - 00:08:00.920

get to the top. Wave an umbrella? Yeah. Mm, yeah. Mm. After nearly nine hours of climbing, the Horton party reaches the summit of Half Dome. The thunderheads have moved back. The sky is clear. I feel great. I'm glad we all made it kind of wish Bill

00:08:00.920 - 00:08:20.140

was up here, but I know he's up here. He is here within Syria. I think he did great, is what he did. I never expected to see him even get where he was. That was remarkable. And It's wonderful. No, Bill, if you can see us, here

00:08:20.140 - 00:08:35.350

we are. They climbed all day for Bill. He wasn't there when they reached the top, but he was there in spirit. They know that and far below Bill knows that. And no matter what happens to Bill in the future, that's the way it will always be.

00:08:35.480 - 00:08:53.620

No matter where they are. No matter whether the family is together or apart, Bill will always be with all of them. I love you were going to have to go around for a while until his card comes up. That will be the day. And God only

00:08:53.620 - 00:09:03.760

has that choice, not a disease bills. Mm.