Utah Teen Survived 12-Meter Fall, Rebuilt Life After Shattered Pelvis

1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 21

A 17-year-old Utah climber plunged 12 meters onto volcanic rock in 2014, shattering her pelvis, breaking her left arm and heel, and suffering internal bleeding after a lakeside bouldering jump went wrong.
Slippery moss, no climbing shoes and a split-second hesitation at the edge killed her momentum, sending her straight down instead of out into the water.
An EMT fishing nearby stabilized her before paramedics arrived 30 minutes later; doctors then performed 13 hours of surgery, using pins and metal plates to rebuild her pelvis.
Two weeks in hospital were followed by six months of bed rest, and she was warned she might face permanent leg paralysis before movement gradually returned.
Now 29, she works as a yoga teacher and says the accident ultimately reshaped her life, while making her more safety-conscious when she returned to climbing.