61-year-old was pinned face down by 700 pound boulder after his fall on hike — wife's immediate response saved his life
Untoward instances can take place at any given point but how we respond to it can make a massive difference. A 61-year-old man named Kell Morris is alive after a dangerous mishap, thanks to his wife Joanna Roop’s resilient and astute response, per Alaska News Source. The duo had gone on a hiking route in Seward when he met with an accident with a 700-pound boulder. Being pinned down and in desperate need of help, his wife didn’t hesitate to show courage and respond swiftly. Morris and his wife had planned a trek on May 24 and chose a quieter trail in hopes of avoiding the holiday crowd.
“We’re slow, we’re there to see the sights, and we’re not in a hurry. So, we keep an eye on the time and when we get to a certain time, we turn around and come back, whether we made it to our destination or not,” the man explained. The elderly couple reached the canyon area and saw that there was quite a rocky area to cover. The man spotted the boulders and said, “It didn’t look good.” He knew it wasn't safe so he chose not to go under the rocks and try to go around. When he went further and saw there was no firm route to venture ahead, he decided to turn back to his wife.
Unfortunately, a 700-pound rock made its way abruptly towards the 61-year-old, causing the man to get caught up in rocks. “The whole side of that rock just came loose, and I was sliding with it,” he recalled. Morris was unsure of what happened next except that he rolled down to the water. “I landed face-down in the river and then, I felt the rock hit me in the back and pin me down,” he said. With a huge boulder that required around 7 people to move, the elderly man was puzzled with worry. “My left side hurts pretty good. I discovered that my right side is free, but my left leg, hip, all the way down, is pinned tight. Can’t move anything. I can feel it, but I can’t move it,” he recalled.
Roop persisted for half an hour to get him out, but in vain. She knew she had to get more help. She left Morris stuck and bravely detoured to find a signal and contact 911. The Seward Fire Department was contacted by dispatchers. Fire Chief Clinton Crites was surprised to receive a call from the area. “Luckily, they had cell service. And we had GPS coordinates right away,” the chief noted. The team headed out on the long trail to find the couple. Six people banded together and found Morris stuck under the boulder, hypothermic with the icy water beneath him, and his wife holding his head up away from the water. They worked in unison and pushed the boulder off the man.
“When he fell, smaller rocks fell on top of him. The big rock landed on the smaller rocks, and that’s how he didn’t get completely crushed,” Crites explained. The man came around after an hour or so and was taken to a hospital, where he recovered after a few days. The couple is grateful for the help they received and is sure to choose more careful locations for their future treks.