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Michael Stipe Nearly Died

01/12/2011
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(Gibson) R.E.M.'s enigmatic frontman Michael Stipe has revealed the incident that caused his fear of the outdoors. According to the Daily Express, Stipe almost died at 14 years of age on a mountaineering trip with the Boy Scouts.

He told the New York Post, "I nearly died at 14. I was a Boy Scout lost on top of a mountain. It was very cold, wet and horrific. My father thought I was dead. First stage of hypothermia is uncontrollable shivers. Then, hallucinations. Then you fall asleep � then you're gone. I had the first two stages."

Stipe believes that the harrowing incident scarred him for life and contributed to his fear of the outdoors. "When I got home I went inside and almost never came out," he said. "I've since developed a fear of the outdoors." more on this story

Gibson.com is an official news provider for the Day in Rock.

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