Amber Kohnhorst: Hiker Falls 100 Feet, Writes Goodbye Note To Family
Amber Kohnhorst never thought she would survive a traumatic 100-feet fall from an Arizona cliff last week. She announced on Monday she wrote a goodbye note to her loved ones while stranded more than 24 hours, fearing that she wouldn’t be found alive.
FOX 13 News reports that Kohnhorst, a 25-year-old nurse from Rochester, Minnesota, was on her way to the Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, to participate in a volunteer event, when she decided to stop for a quick hike. After checking in at a bed and breakfast inn in Cane Beds, she walked over to the Rose Cliffs trail in Arizona, where she hiked up a steep cliff and somehow got lost. Remembering the incident, Kohnhorst said the following.
“I couldn’t find my footsteps and that’s when my brain went into panic mode. I tried calling 911 right away but I had no cellphone service so I needed to find my way down.”
25-year-old Amber Kohnhorst of Rochester, Minnesota, suffered #head and back #injuries after falling 100 foot on… https://t.co/yKPWkKdKfb
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While climbing down a steep hill, Kohnhorst lost her balance and took a dangerous tumble down the cliff, landing on her back. She blacked out for a while, but when she came to, she attempted to crawl back up the hill. When she couldn’t climb any further, she stopped to blow a whistle she took with her in hopes that someone would help her. The day went by without anyone hearing her. That’s when she decided to write a letter to her parents, in case she didn’t make it out alive.
“I couldn’t lay flat and every time I moved I screamed and with that I blew my whistle hoping someone could hear me but I was in the middle of nowhere….I wrote letters to my parents. I’m sorry. I’m trying to blow my whistle. I’ve fallen. That was going to be my goodbye.”
After being on the cliff for around 24 hours, she spotted a rescue helicopter and started blowing her whistle again. Back at the bed and breakfast inn, an employee noticed that Kohnhorst hadn’t slept in her bed and her rental car was in the parking lot. The owner of the inn called the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
The DPS helicopter heard her screams and attempted to hover down, but it couldn’t land on the cliff. They eventually reached her with the help of a rope rescue team.
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It took the rescue crew seven hours to reach Kohnhorst, who fell at least 100 feet. Once they finally arrived to her, they immediately hoisted her into a helicopter and transported her to the Intermountain Healthcare in St. George, Utah, where a physician diagnosed her with a crushed pelvis and broken nose. A part of her ear was completely torn off, and she fractured her back in three places.
Despite the tragic accident, Kohnhorst said she feels blessed to be alive. She’s already making a strong recovery.
“Yes this week has been hard but I have to remember I`m alive.”
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page was created to help Kohnhorst with her medical expenses. Alexandra Truzzi, the creator of the fundraiser, said the following.
“With such significant injuries, it is unclear when she will be able to return to her loving family in the Midwest to heal and rehab. Certainly, it will be many months before she can return to work. All donations received will be used for medical, travel, possible rescue fees, and any other unexpected expenses she may encounter….. With this campaign, we hope to lessen the financial burden faced by both Amber and her family. Thank you for your donation.”
Amber Kohnhorst is expected to recover from her injuries, but physicians indicated that the recovery process will likely take many months.
[Photo by Shutterstock]
