The voice-overs are French, but enough of the English comes through the background. This is a very harsh video to watch as the French Camera Crew follows Don from right after the hit to the end of the ride.
You have not seen exhaustion like it and it gives a very clear picture of how brutal this rally truly is. The title says Stage Four, but that is an error. It was Stage Three as we all know.
Click here to see the End of Dakar for Don Hatton.
The video on the French TV website is entitled, “Anonymous Heroes.”
No kidding.
At the end, where Andrew Scott says, “I wanted to quit, and a guy gave me advice. He told me not to give up and to stay positive.”
That “guy” was Don.
To boldly go to where few have ever been. To experience your dream further. To have done all you could. To have come to that point of realization. To have been part of a Dakar Team.
You are a hero Don!
Glad you are safe.
I hope to meet you and shake your hand.
Jay
Don,
So sorry to hear that the race has come to an end for you! We were all hoping that this was going to be the year that you got to finish the Dakar as we all know this has been a childhood dream of your. I must say that I definatley look up to you. You are definately not a quitter. I find it mind boggling that after the threat of a terrorist attack, you almost being paralised, food poisiong, bad gas and then being hit by a truck that you got up dust yourself off and actually continue with the Dakar with a broken bike even when people were telling you to quit. You are definatley an inspiration to all of us!
Lyndsay
Don.
We are all so proud of you.You epitomize the spirit of the Dakar.You have shown superhuman endurance and perseverance.You have achieved so much more than all of us sitting at home dreaming of doing the Dakar.Looking forward to seeing you back home and hearing of your adventure.Wish Simon good luck if you speak to him.
Don,
Congratulations on going where few who have thrown a leg over a bike in this country have ever gone. Take pride in the fact that you returned to Dakar once again and have been able to live what is only a dream for most ‘adventure riders’. Glad to know that you are safe and well. All the best to you and now, best thoughts for Simon as he continues. I know that I am proud to say that BC is the home of someone who actually has been in the Dakar….twice!
Don, I watched this video with tears welling up in my eyes, knowing just how much this Dakar meant to you. I’ve spent the last day thinking about it.
The image of you laying in the sand beside your bike, looking like you’d aged a good decade, is etched in my mind. You clearly left absolutely nothing “on the field”.
Maybe this is what Dakar is about, truly pushing yourself harder than you ever imagined possible. Your courage and tenacity that night was unbelievable. Beyond fear, beyond doubt, beyond any preconceived notions of what your limits truly were. To fully comprehend just how incredibly capable and gifted you are is something few will ever do. In the future, you will draw strength from it whenever you face a challenge.
Don, you are absolutely a hero in my eyes. You have so many people cheering for you, who are probably now questioning their own limits, and are better because of the benchmark of perseverance you have set. I am so proud of you Don!