Teen survives life-threating 30-metre fall at Grand Canyon
In a miraculous story, a 13 years old boy survived a 30-metre tumble down the Grand Canyon, sustaining numerous grave injuries. Remarkably, the plunge did not kill him, and rescuers were able to reach him within two hours and transport him to a hospital.
Kauffman, on vacation with his mother, had been admiring the scenic views at Bright Angel Point, a popular trailhead in the Grand Canyon. Amid a throng of tourists capturing photos, the boy, in an effort not to obstruct their view, accidentally slipped and fell.
As he plummeted, Kauffman sustained an array of serious injuries including nine broken vertebrae, a collapsed lung, a ruptured spleen, a concussion, and a fractured hand. In a local Phoenix television interview with KPNX station, he was still able to speak about a Grand Canyon fall most people do not survive.
“I was trying to move out of the way for people to take pictures. I grabbed onto this rock with one hand and I wasn’t able to hold on.”
Rescuers took two hours to descend to the spot where Kauffman lay immobile in the gorge, after which he was promptly airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, bordering Arizona and the closest major city by air to the Grand Canyon, about 270 kilometres away.
Against all odds, Kauffman responded to medical treatment and showed continual improvement, despite the severity of his injuries. His father, Kauffman Senior, conveyed his immense gratitude to the rescue team, emergency services, and the team of doctors at the hospital for their dedicated work.
“We are incredibly lucky to have our son back with us sitting in the front seat instead of a box.”
The shocking incident isn’t an isolated case of someone falling into the majestic canyon. But survival from such a big fall is more rare.. A man met his demise at Grand Canyon National Park just last June when he fell from a skywalk almost 1220 meters in height. Though rescuers rushed to his aid, the man perished due to the severity of his injuries.
At Grand Canyon National Park, the Search and Rescue team is reportedly called upon hundreds of times each year, responding to a variety of injuries.
