For lovers of extreme adventures the long-awaited mountain hike of Thomas and Kerstin was supposed to be just another adventure... However everything went wrong – and that hellish evening divided their lives into before and after... And that the man next to Kerstin was not actually the man he pretended to be...

Morning, When Everything Seemed So Beautiful!

– Oh, how beautiful! – Kerstin exclaimed, stopping for a moment and looking at the endless Alpine peaks. The air was cold, almost transparent, and it felt like the world around them belonged only to the two of them... That morning Thomas and Kerstin began their hike toward Grossglockner – the highest peak in Austria, located in the Hohe Tauern mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps, with a height of 12,461 feet.

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The always self-confident Thomas adjusted his backpack straps and smirked:
– Enjoy the views! I told you, you’ll forget about being tired in five minutes.
Kerstin smiled but kept looking at the mountains: – I already forgot. It’s too beautiful to think about anything else!

They Are Completely Alone Here...

The trail was getting narrower but there was no one around... Only wind, rocks, and their footsteps. Sometimes it felt like even sound disappeared, as if the mountains were swallowing everything unnecessary.
Kerstin looked back: – Are you sure we’re going the right way?

Thomas nodded too quickly, barely looking at the map: – Yes. I’ve been here before. She stayed silent but a slight tension appeared in her chest that she still couldn’t explain...

Too Perfect A Landscape, And Not Always Safe In Reality...

They stopped to take photos. Kerstin laughed, trying to catch the wind in her shot, while Thomas stood slightly aside, looking down the slope.
– Why are you so serious? – she asked.

He quickly turned and smiled: – Just thinking how far we’ve already come.
– And?
– And going back isn’t so easy anymore, – he said quieter than usual.
Kerstin didn’t immediately understand whether it was a joke or not.

The Conversation That Started Changing The Mood

They kept walking, and their steps became slower. Kerstin started looking down more often. Thomas walked confidently but sometimes he held his gaze on the horizon line, as if calculating something.
– Thomas... – she said quietly.
He didn’t answer immediately: – What?
– Are we really supposed to be going just the two of us? Maybe we should have taken a group? He smirked but this smile didn’t have its usual ease: – You again. You’re with me.

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Kerstin stopped for a second: – That’s exactly what scares me.
Thomas looked at her more closely, a little longer than usual: – What do you mean?
She looked away: – I don’t know... just a feeling... and if only she knew then that her intuition was not wrong at all...

The Moment When Silence Became Too Heavy

The wind intensified. In the distance, small rocks started falling, and the sound disappeared quickly, as if the mountain swallowed it. Kerstin instinctively stepped closer to Thomas.
– Did you hear that? – she asked.
– It’s just rocks, – he answered calmly but didn’t move.

She looked at him and for the first time noticed that he wasn’t looking her in the eyes as often as before.
And in that moment she first felt that this hike had already stopped being just a walk... even if she still couldn’t understand why. And even she noticed that Thomas was not acting like himself...

The Weather Does Not Forgive Mistakes...

The wind gusts grew stronger... It hit the slope so sharply that Kerstin instinctively bent down. Her hair slipped out from under her hood, and her breathing became heavier.
– Thomas, do you feel that too? – she quickly asked.
He didn’t answer immediately. He only looked up, where the sky had started to darken.
– Thomas! – Kerstin’s voice became sharper. – Tell me, is everything okay? Why are you silent?

He suddenly turned to her:
– Yes, everything is fine! Stop panicking all the time!
His voice sounded louder than she expected. Kerstin froze, not finding an answer right away.
– I’m just asking... – she said quietly.
But Thomas had already looked away, gripping his backpack strap tighter than usual.

A Pause That Feels Uncomfortable

They walked in silence for several minutes. Only the wind and their steps on the rocks. Kerstin no longer asked questions but the anxiety inside her only grew stronger.
Finally Thomas stopped and sat down on a small rock ledge.
– Let’s… take a short break, – he said more calmly.
Kerstin sat next to him, still uneasy: – Are you angry?

He sighed and closed his eyes for a second: – No… I’m not angry. I’m just… a little nervous myself.
She looked at him more closely: – About what?
Thomas rubbed his face and nodded toward the horizon:
– The weather. It’s changing rapidly. I didn’t expect that...

A Confession She Did Not Expect

Kerstin stayed silent. For the first time he didn’t sound confident but genuinely tense.
– Why didn’t you say anything earlier? – she asked quietly.
Thomas lowered his gaze:
– Because I didn’t want to scare you. I thought it would pass.
He turned to her, and his voice softened:
– I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.

Kerstin didn’t answer immediately.
Thomas leaned closer:
– I’m just worried about us.
He took her hand:
– I love you. Do you understand? I just want everything to be okay for us.
The wind intensified again but this time they both stayed silent, listening only to its sound…

The Road That Began To Take Away The Last Of Their Strength...

They walked for almost two more hours... The mountains around them were becoming more harsh and empty. The snow that was falling nonstop blinded their eyes, and the wind hit their faces so hard that it was sometimes difficult to breathe. Kerstin tried to keep up with Thomas, although with every new step she felt worse and worse. At first it was just a light weakness... then her head started to spin more strongly. 

Sometimes it felt like the ground beneath her feet was slightly drifting. But she stayed silent. After Thomas’s outburst of irritation, Kerstin no longer wanted to complain unnecessarily... and how right she was that there was a person рядом who would not help her... but back then she still had no idea how wrong she was about Thomas...

“Everyone on Social Media Will Be Jealous!”

Exhausted Kerstin pulled her hood tighter and kept walking forward, trying to pretend everything was fine. Thomas walked ahead confidently and barely turned around:
– There’s not much left... The main thing is not to stop. We will reach the summit, all our friends on social media will be shocked when they see the photos!

It seemed that his self-love had no limits... Kerstin quietly nodded, even though he couldn’t see it. And the longer they climbed, the stronger the strange feeling inside her grew that they were going too far...

Fear That She Tried To Hide

At one moment the wind hit especially hard. Kerstin staggered and barely managed to stay on her feet.
– Be careful, – Thomas called over his shoulder. – Watch your step!
She wanted to answer but instead only took a heavy breath. Her heart was beating too fast. For a second everything went dark in front of her eyes. 

Kerstin stopped for just a couple of seconds, trying to recover. Thomas immediately turned around:
– Why did you stop?
– Nothing... everything is fine... – she said quickly.
But her voice sounded too weak...

The Truth He Was Hiding

Thomas looked at her in silence for a few seconds and then exhaled in irritation:
– Don’t start now.
After these words Kerstin fell completely silent. She felt that he was also scared... but instead of support he was becoming colder and colder. 

And the scariest thing was that she had no idea that Thomas had already been in a similar situation before and because of him another girl had almost died... was he really trying to repeat the same situation again?

The Moment When She Realized She Couldn’t Go On

About an hour passed... The snow under their feet became deeper. The wind was literally pushing them back. Sometimes Kerstin felt like she had been walking forever. And suddenly she realized... one more step — and she would simply fall. Her legs became like cotton, her breathing completely broke.
– Thomas... wait... – she said quietly.

He stopped abruptly:
– What now?
Kerstin lowered her head, trying to catch her breath:
– I can’t... I need at least a couple of minutes to sit... let’s call for help, let them pick us up, I have a bad feeling... she took out her phone. and what happened next shocked her even more... Thomas seemed to turn into a completely different person!

The Call That Could Have Become Their Only Rescue

Kerstin could already barely feel her fingers. Finally she began to dial the rescue service with trembling hands. Thomas noticed it almost immediately:
– What are you doing?!
– I want to call... – she said quietly. – Just in case...
His face changed instantly:
– Put the phone away!

Kerstin looked at him confused:
– But Thomas...
– You will drain the battery! – he cut her off sharply. – It’s cold here, the phone will die in seconds!
She froze:
– And the power bank?
For a few seconds Thomas said nothing... and that silence scared her more than anything. 

It Was Simply Impossible to Comprehend...

– Thomas... you brought it, right?
He looked away in irritation:
– No.
Kerstin didn’t immediately understand what she heard:
– What do you mean no?!
– I forgot it, okay?! – he snapped.

The wind hit especially hard but now Kerstin didn’t even feel it anymore. She stared at Thomas with wide eyes:
– You forgot the power bank?!
Even she understood that for such a hike this was not just a mistake. It was a serious violation of basic safety...

The Moment When Help Was So Close... But Never Came

A few more hours passed. The sky turned completely black, night had fallen... The wind roared between the rocks so loudly that they could barely hear each other. Kerstin could already barely move her legs. And suddenly she heard a sound in the distance. At first quiet... then louder. She raised her head sharply:
– Thomas... do you hear that?!

A police helicopter appeared over the mountains. Hope instantly lit up in Kerstin:
– Oh my God... they can see us!
She started waving her hand:
– We need to signal them! Thomas, please!
But Thomas suddenly stayed still...

“I said no!”

– Don’t, – he said sharply.
Kerstin couldn’t believe her ears:
– What?!
– They won’t see us because of the wind. It’s just a waste of energy.
– But this is our chance!
She was almost screaming.
The helicopter was very close.
Kerstin raised her phone again:
– I’ll turn on the flashlight!

Thomas suddenly grabbed her hand:
– I said no!
She looked at him in shock:
– Why don’t you want to call for help at all?!
But Thomas said nothing. The helicopter kept flying... and then the sound slowly began to fade. And with it, Kerstin’s last sense of hope disappeared...

How It All Began...

They met two years ago completely by chance. It seemed like a gift from fate but in reality it was a punishment... but back then Kerstin could not even imagine that. She had just come out of a long and painful relationship that drained all her strength, and she spent a long time trying to put herself back together. 

Her friends convinced her to distract herself, and one evening she finally just went to a bar alone... and that was where something happened that would forever divide her life into before and after... but who could have known...

The Evening That Changed Everything

The bar was crowded, the air smelled of alcohol, different perfumes, and loud conversations, and the music vibrated through the walls so strongly that it was impossible not to move along with it. Kerstin sat at the counter, slowly turning her glass and simply trying to watch people without getting involved in anything. She wanted to be invisible. And in that exact moment she felt a gaze...

She looked up and saw him. Thomas was standing a few meters away, confident, calm, as if he belonged there more than everyone else. Their eyes met and lingered a little longer than it usually happens by chance.
He came over himself...

He Smelled Like “A Man”...

– Are you alone here?
Kerstin hesitated for a second, then nodded:
– Yes.
– Then it’s either courage or a bad day.

She unexpectedly smirked:
– Maybe both.
He sat down next to her, as if he was one hundred percent sure she didn’t mind... and in fact she didn’t – almost no one ever said no to him...

She Believed in Love at First Sight

Thomas spoke calmly, confidently, without unnecessary fuss. He didn’t interrupt, he looked straight at her, sometimes smiled slightly, and it gave Kerstin a strange feeling of safety. He asked the right questions, remembered details, laughed where it was appropriate, and never once made her feel uncomfortable. It felt like she had finally met someone she could simply breathe with.

– Do you always talk so easily to strangers? – she asked.
– Only if I feel that they are not exactly strangers, – he replied.
She lowered her gaze, hiding her smile...

He Walked Her Home and Something Inside Her Clicked...

That evening he walked her home. At the entrance they stayed longer than necessary. The night was quiet, warm, and there was something very romantic in it, almost unreal, as if the whole city had stopped existing for a few minutes... Streetlights softly lit the empty street, the air was calm, and even the distant sounds of cars felt far away and unimportant.

Kerstin stood by the door but didn’t rush inside. She caught herself feeling that if this moment ended now, something important would disappear. Thomas looked at her carefully, without hurry, as if he also didn’t want to break this pause. Back then she had no idea that making women fall for him was his specialty...
– I think we will see each other again, – he said.

She Was Already Losing Her Mind...

 She smirked slightly but there was caution in her gaze:
– Are you always that sure?
He tilted his head slightly, as if the question amused him:
– Usually yes.
He stepped closer but not too close, as if testing the boundary. 

Kerstin noticed how his expression changed — the confidence remained but there was something almost controlling in it, as if he wasn’t just speaking but already completely certain.
– And if not? – she asked quietly.
– Then it would be a mistake, – he answered calmly.

He Was Extremely Close...

He brushed a strand of hair from her face with a too confident gesture, as if he had the right to do it, and smiled.
– You think too much, Kerstin.
– And you doubt too little, – she replied, trying to turn it into a joke.
He didn’t laugh. He only looked at her a little longer than usual, and there was something in that look she couldn’t decipher at the time.
– Good night, – he finally said.

– Good night, – she repeated.
She went inside the building but stood behind the door for a few more seconds without moving. Through the glass she saw that he still wasn’t leaving, just standing there as if memorizing the moment.
And only when she went upstairs and looked out from the staircase window, the street was already empty...

The First Red Flags She Didn’t Notice

Their relationship developed very quickly and at first everything seemed perfect... He texted her first, appeared unexpectedly, always made time. But gradually something changed in his attention. Sometimes he would ask too carefully where she was, who she was with, why she didn’t reply immediately. Sometimes his jokes became sharper, and the pauses in conversations longer and heavier.
– Why didn’t you reply immediately?
– I was busy...

– Busy or just didn’t want to?
Kerstin used to laugh:
– You’re always so dramatic.
He smiled but his gaze remained serious:
– I just don’t like uncertainty.
Back then it felt like care. Now she would call it something else... but it was already too late.

A Man Who Could Be Different

With friends he was charming. With her – attentive. In moments of silence – thoughtful, almost cold. It was as if he switched between versions, and Kerstin didn’t immediately understand that each version of Thomas had its own edge...
Once she told him:
– Sometimes it feels like you’re a completely different person.

He looked at her for too long.
– People are always different. Not everyone just notices it.
– That sounds strange.
– It sounds honest.
She didn’t get suspicious then...

What She Couldn’t Know Yet

There was something too stable, almost rigid in his confidence. In his decisions – a lack of doubt. In his gaze – sometimes a cold calculation that he quickly hid behind a smile. But Kerstin then only saw a beautiful story that became her life too quickly, and after a month they were already living together.

She still didn’t know that behind this charisma was not just a difficult character but a man who could go all the way, even if that end could destroy everything around him...

Jealousy, Which He Called Love

Already after a few months of living together, Thomas began to get irritated by small things. Sometimes it was enough for just one man to look at Kerstin for him to change completely. One evening they were in a restaurant. The waiter smiled at her a little too warmly, and Thomas immediately went silent. The whole way home he barely spoke...
– Can you explain what is going on? – Kerstin finally asked.
He suddenly stopped:
– Did you like his attention?

She didn’t even understand at first:
– What?
– Don’t pretend you didn’t notice.
Kerstin gave a nervous laugh:
– Thomas, he was just a waiter...
– It always starts with “just”.
His voice sounded calm but that was exactly what scared her the most. That was the first time she thought that the man next to her could hide anger very well... until a certain moment.

He Wanted to Control Even Her Thoughts

Sometimes Thomas asked strange questions.
– What are you thinking about?
– Nothing special.
– That’s not true.
He looked too closely, as if trying to get inside her head. If Kerstin was tired or wanted to be alone, he treated it almost like betrayal.

– You are distancing yourself from me.
– No, I’m just tired...
– People don’t get tired of the ones they love.
After such conversations Kerstin always felt guilty... even though she didn’t understand why.

The Strange Story He Once Mentioned

One night they were lying in bed talking about the past. It was raining outside, the apartment was dark and quiet... at first glance everything looked very calm and romantic...
That’s when Thomas suddenly said:
– People are very weak in extreme situations.
Kerstin turned toward him:
– What do you mean?

He stared at the ceiling:
– When it gets scary, a person shows their real face.
– And you?
He smirked:
– I can stay in control.
At that moment it just sounded like a strange conversation. But then he suddenly added:
– Once I was in a situation with a person who started panicking...

The Evening No Longer Felt Calm...

Kerstin leaned closer:
– And what happened?
Thomas answered too quickly:
– Nothing.
After that he immediately changed the topic...
But in that moment something very unsettling appeared inside Kerstin for the first time...

She couldn’t sleep for a long time. Thomas was already lying next to her calmly, as if the conversation never happened, while Kerstin stared at the ceiling replaying his words again and again. The next day she tried to return to that topic. They were having breakfast in the kitchen, Thomas was scrolling his phone, and she carefully asked:
– Listen... what was that story yesterday?
He didn’t even look up...

Complete Indifference

– Which one?
– About the person who panicked... and who was that person?
Thomas slowly put his phone down:
– I already told you. Nothing special.
– But you spoke like something serious happened.
He smirked but the smile looked forced:
– You overanalyze everything.
– I’m just curious...

– Kerstin, – he cut her off, now colder, – don’t turn this into an interrogation.
After that, an uncomfortable silence filled the room.
And the more he avoided the topic, the more she wanted to understand what exactly he was hiding... as if he had told her that story on purpose just to mess with her... but Kerstin decided again that she was overthinking and tried to forget it as quickly as possible.

A Conversation With Her Friend That Made Her Think

Through a few days Kerstin met her friend in a small café. She wanted to distract herself but the conversation quickly turned to Thomas again.
– So how are things between you two? – her friend asked, stirring her coffee.
Kerstin smiled:
– Fine...
– Fine?

She shrugged:
– Sometimes he’s strange.
– In what way?
Kerstin thought:
– I don’t know... sometimes it feels like I don’t fully understand him...

More Questions Than Answers...

Her friend looked at her carefully:
– Do you even know his friends?
Kerstin got confused:
– What do you mean?

– You’ve been together for almost half a year... Have you met his close circle?
Kerstin fell silent.
And in that moment she suddenly realized she had never thought about it...
– To be honest... he doesn’t really have friends. At least I think so...

She Knew Nothing About His Past...

Her friend slowly raised her eyebrows:
– None at all?
– Well... some acquaintances, colleagues... but no real friends.
– That’s strange.
Kerstin tried to defend him immediately:
– Maybe he’s just a closed person.

But her friend didn’t look convinced:
– Being closed is one thing. But having no one at all is something else.
After those words Kerstin felt a strange discomfort inside.
Because she suddenly realized one more thing...
For all this time Thomas had almost never talked about his past.
No old stories, no childhood friends, no people he stayed in touch with.
As if his life started only from the moment she appeared in it...

The Fight After Which She Almost Left

The longer the relationship lasted, the more unpredictable Thomas became. Sometimes he was gentle and caring. And sometimes he seemed like a completely different person. One day Kerstin said she wanted to spend the weekend at her parents’ place.
Thomas looked at her silently for a few seconds.
– So you feel bad with me?
– I didn’t say that.
– But you thought it.
– Thomas, stop...

He suddenly slammed his hand on the table so hard that Kerstin flinched.
Silence filled the room.
And then something even stranger happened...
A minute later he was standing in front of her with a guilty look:
– I’m sorry... I’m just afraid of losing you.
He hugged her so tightly as if he really was afraid.
And Kerstin stayed...
Even though deep inside she already understood that normal relationships should not feel scary.

The Hardest Decision of Her Life

Soon the situation repeated itself and Thomas again started scaring Kerstin with his uncontrollable aggression – once when she almost accidentally broke his phone, he pushed her hard... She packed her things almost in silence. Thomas was at home but didn’t even immediately notice what was happening. Only when the suitcase was at the door did he look up.

– What are you doing?
Kerstin froze:
– I’m going to live separately.
He laughed at first, as if it was a joke:
– Stop it.
But when he realized she wasn’t smiling, his face changed...

The Only Right Decision...

– Are you serious?
– Yes.
Silence filled the room.
– Because of what? – his voice became lower.
– Because of everything, Thomas… I just don’t feel safe anymore.

He ran a hand over his face:
– It’s because of work. I’m stressed. I don’t always control myself lately… but it will pass.
She looked at him for a long time, as if trying to understand where truth ended and the mask began.
– I need time, – she said quietly and left.

Thomas Started Acting Differently...

After she left, he didn’t call for several days. And that surprised her the most. She expected pressure, messages, attempts to win her back immediately but instead there was silence. And then he appeared again. With flowers, completely calm and very charismatic – just like when they first met...
– I understand everything, – he said. – It’s my fault. I went too far. Work, stress… I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.
Kerstin stayed silent.

He stepped closer:
– I’m just afraid of losing you.
And for the first time in a long time his voice sounded not confident but almost vulnerable.
– I want to fix everything, – he added. – Just tell me how.
And then for the first time in a long time she saw not coldness in him but warmth... but Kerstin was so wrong...

Attempt to Save the Relationship

They decided to see a psychologist. Kerstin wasn’t sure it would help but agreed. During the first session Thomas was unexpectedly calm, even attentive, while Kerstin spoke carefully, choosing words. 

The psychologist listened to both of them and said:
– You lack shared experience. Not conflict but shared positive emotions. Try to find a common activity that connects you. If Kerstin had known then that this would not save their relationship but would become the beginning of the end...

New Idea

After the session they walked in silence until Thomas said:
– Maybe we should try something new?
– Like what?
He smiled slightly:
– Hiking... Mountains! Fresh air… it should help.

Kerstin looked at him cautiously:
– Are you sure?
– Yes, – he answered too quickly. – We need something where we are a team again.
She didn’t know why but at that moment she had the first feeling that this “fix” might lead them somewhere they didn’t expect… but she decided to fully trust Thomas and try...

The Month When She Believed In Love Again...

After the conversation with the psychologist, everything really started to change. Thomas seemed like a different person. They started small - going on morning runs together, signing up for the gym, going on small hiking trips on weekends. Kerstin felt like the man she had once been hopelessly in love with was back again. He supported her, laughed, hugged her during workouts, held her hand during climbs along forest trails. Sometimes she caught herself thinking that maybe all the terrible things really did stay in the past.

– See? - Thomas said one day after another run. - We can handle everything.
Kerstin smiled:
– I haven’t felt this happy in a long time...
And that was the scariest part... because before the catastrophe everything really did look perfect.

The Proposal After Which She Lost The Last Of Her Caution

It went on like that for about a month. And then Thomas proposed to her. It happened one evening after one of their hikes. They were sitting by the lake, almost no one around, the sun slowly setting behind the mountains. Kerstin even teared up from happiness at that moment.
Thomas took out a ring and quietly said:
– I want you to become my wife.
She covered her face with her hands:
– God... are you serious?

He smiled:
– More than.
Kerstin felt like it was the beginning of a new life. She jumped into his arms, laughing, crying, repeating:
– Yes... yes, of course yes...
At that moment she completely stopped noticing the warning signs. She wanted to believe that love had defeated all problems. But in reality, that was exactly when the trap finally snapped shut...

Perfect Relationship That Started To Crack Again

But even after the engagement, Thomas sometimes started changing his mood again. Sometimes he became cold without reason, got irritated over small things, could suddenly fall silent for the entire evening. Kerstin tried to convince herself it was just stress.
– Maybe we need to spend more time together? - she once said during dinner.
Thomas looked up:
– Aren’t we already together all the time?

– I don’t mean that... maybe we need a shared interest. Something of our own.
He stayed silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said:
– Mountains.
– What?
– I used to go to the mountains a lot. It helps clear your head.
Kerstin had no idea how terrifying those words would sound to her in the future...

The Mountains Became Their Shared Addiction...

At first there were simple routes. Then more difficult ones. Thomas really turned out to be very experienced - he had climbed mountains more than ten times and felt completely confident there. Next to him, Kerstin also started feeling stronger. They conquered their first peak together, then the second. After every climb they took photos, laughed, made wedding plans.
– We are a great team, - Thomas said.

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And Kerstin believed him.
The mountains became their escape. That was where she felt closeness returning between them. No city, no people, no arguments - just the two of them... Sometimes she thought the mountains had saved their relationship... but in reality they were slowly leading her toward tragedy...

The Peak After Which There Was No Future...

And then Thomas suggested climbing that mountain. Huge, dangerous, known for its severe weather conditions.
– This will be our main climb, - he said. - After that we’ll properly start preparing for the wedding.

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Kerstin smiled:
– Can you imagine how we’ll remember this in a few years?
Thomas didn’t answer. He just looked at her strangely.
And now it is terrifying to think that there was never supposed to be any wedding...

The Night When He Started Acting Especially Strange

The higher they climbed, the worse Kerstin felt. The wind was literally knocking her off her feet, frost was burning her skin, and snow was blinding her eyes. Thomas was acting stranger and stranger. He was getting irritated, rushing her, barely looking at her. Sometimes it felt like he was angry at the fact that she could no longer keep going.
– Faster, - he said sharply. - We’re almost there.

But Kerstin could barely stand anymore. She was hoping Thomas would become her salvation... but that day he seemed to be doing the exact opposite. It would later be revealed that at 1:35 AM he had already called the alpine police... but had not mentioned the most important thing - that Kerstin had already said she could not continue the climb...

The Moment When He Left Her To Die

Around two o’clock in the morning something happened that would shock the entire country later. Thomas left Kerstin alone in the mountains, saying he was going for help. She could barely feel her body anymore. Hypothermia, wind, complete disorientation... Kerstin was literally collapsing from exhaustion.
– Will you come back soon? - she asked barely audibly.
– Yes. Just wait here.

But even then there was something cold... foreign in his voice. He left. And she remained alone in the icy darkness. Without proper equipment, without protection, without a bivy bag, without emergency blankets. Later the prosecutor would call this one of the most serious violations. Kerstin slowly sank down onto the snow. The wind howled between the rocks, and she could barely understand anything anymore.
“Now they will rescue me...” - she tried to think.
She closed her eyes...
Would she ever open them again?

The Body Was Found Only 50 Meters From The Summit...

A few hours later rescuers found Kerstin’s body just fifty meters below the summit. So close to the place she had been desperately trying to reach. The story immediately caused huge public outrage. People could not understand how an experienced climber could leave a girl alone in such conditions. A months-long investigation ended with Thomas Plamberger being charged with negligent homicide causing severe consequences. The details shocked people even more. 

Investigators claimed he waited too long before actually calling for help. Moreover - when rescuers tried to contact him, he did not respond. Later it turned out his phone was switched off. Online people were furious and called him a narcissist!
“How terrible this man is,” one user wrote.
“May her soul rest in peace. She deserved better.”

The Ex-Girlfriend Said Something That Scared Everyone...

But the real shock happened in court in Innsbruck. Thomas’s ex-girlfriend - Andrea Bergener - unexpectedly testified. And her words sounded like a nightmare. She stated that during their relationship Thomas had already left her alone on the same mountain - Grossglockner - when she felt dizzy and unwell. But she survived that time... After that many people were horrified by the thought: had history repeated itself again? During the trial nine critical violations were revealed. Insufficient equipment... Starting the climb too late at night and lack of a bivy bag and emergency blankets…

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And the most horrifying - the girl had been left completely defenseless in life-threatening conditions. On February 19, Thomas Plamberger received a suspended sentence - five months in prison and a 9,600 euro fine. For many, the sentence seemed far too lenient. Because Kerstin would never return home again...