North Dakota teen survives nearly 100-foot fall at North Rim of Grand Canyon

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — A 13-year-old North Dakota boy has survived a fall of almost 100 toes on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon throughout a household journey.

Authorities mentioned it took emergency crews two hours to rescue Wyatt Kauffman after he slipped on a cliff Tuesday and plunged the almost 100 toes (30 meters) on the Vivid Angel Level path.

{The teenager} was airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital for remedy of 9 damaged vertebrae plus a ruptured spleen, a collapsed lung, a concussion and a damaged hand and dislocated finger.

“I used to be up on the ledge and was transferring out of the way in which so different individuals may take an image,” Kauffman instructed Phoenix TV station KPNX. “I squatted down and was holding on to a rock. I solely had one hand on it.

“It wasn’t that good of a grip. It was type of pushing me again. I misplaced my grip and began to fall again,” he added.

Rescue crews needed to rappel down the cliff and get the injured boy out of the canyon in a basket.

“I simply keep in mind considerably waking up and being behind an ambulance and a helicopter and getting on a airplane and getting right here” to the hospital, mentioned Kauffman, who lives in Casselton, North Dakota.

Brian Kauffman was in North Dakota when he heard about his son’s fall and rescue.

A Nationwide Park Service search and rescue workforce arrange a rope rescue right down to the steep and slender path and raised the teenager safely to the rim.

“We’re extraordinarily grateful for the work of everybody. Two hours is an eternity in a state of affairs like that,” Brian Kauffman mentioned.

He mentioned Wyatt and his mom had been on a visit to go to nationwide parks when the Grand Canyon fall occurred.

Brian Kauffman mentioned his son was discharged from the hospital Saturday and was being pushed dwelling. Wyatt and his mother had been anticipated to achieve Casselton on Tuesday.

“We’re simply fortunate we’re bringing our child dwelling in a automotive within the entrance seat as a substitute of in a field,” Brian Kauffman instructed KPNX.