My Jetboil stove's fuel line cracked on day 3 of the Teton Crest Trail last August, and I had to cold-soak my dinners for the rest of the trip. | Backpacking Routes - nhfree.com
So what did your friend do when their stove broke? Mine had his canister stove just stop working on a week long trip... he got real creative. He ended up using his metal cup as a tiny pot over a small fire ring he built with rocks, which was a pain but worked. Honestly, seeing that mess made me start carrying those emergency fire starter tabs... they're not perfect but they can boil water in a pinch.
That's a solid backup plan, honestly. My own low point was trying to heat a can of beans directly in a campfire with a stick. Ended up with a charred, sticky mess and a new rule about always having a proper pot. Those fire tabs sound way smarter.