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Chris McCandless meets Ronald Franz while traveling through California. Franz is eighty years old at the time, and he becomes deeply and quickly attached to McCandless. In 1957, while Franz was stationed in Okinawa, his wife and young adult son were killed in a car accident back home. Franz fell into alcoholism for months, then stopped drinking and instead channeled his grief into supporting fourteen Okinawan children over several years. Later, he returned to California, but Krakauer describes Franz as a man who continues to seek meaningful ways to care for others out of his loneliness.

When Franz first gives McCandless a ride back to his camp, he quickly forms an affection for McCandless and seeks to be a paternal influence for the young man. Franz is an experienced leatherworker and teaches McCandless some of his craft. Although he absorbs the leatherworking lessons, McCandless does not take well to advice or instruction about his life choices. He is, however, insistent that Franz should leave his established life behind and live on the road. After parting ways, McCandless writes a letter to Franz again encouraging him to abandon his routine and possessions, and Franz takes the letter seriously. He buys a van and camping gear and moves to McCandless’s old campsite outside of town.

After McCandless dies, Franz sends a letter to Outside Magazine and asks to speak with the author of the article about McCandless. Krakauer goes to California to meet Franz and describes him as an imposing man, even in his mid-eighties. Franz is tall and physically fit, despite surviving two heart attacks. He is deeply grieved by Krakauer’s confirmation of McCandless’s death. When Krakauer shows Franz photographs of McCandless’s campsite in Alaska, Franz leaves the conversation, overcome with emotion. McCandless has a deep and abiding impact on Franz, despite their short time together. McCandless’s death even causes Franz to abandon his faith. He was a devout Christian throughout his life, but he tells Krakauer he cannot believe in a God who would allow McCandless to die.  

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