Teen Falls 120 Feet on Mount Whitney, Left in Coma
Ryan Wach and his 14-year-old son, Zane, were hiking Mount Whitney in California on June 10 when tragedy struck. Although Zane was fit and experienced in endurance sports, he began showing signs of altitude sickness during the ascent.
The father and son decided to take a gentler seven-mile trail back down, but Zane’s condition worsened. He began hallucinating, claiming to see “snowmen” and “Kermit the Frog.” He also became disoriented, unsure if he was awake or dreaming.
“He was in an altered mental state,” Ryan said. “He couldn’t tell what was real. He thought we had already finished the hike multiple times.”
As Zane’s confusion grew, he slowed down and eventually refused to continue. Despite Ryan’s efforts to keep him safe, Zane walked toward a ledge, believing he was heading to the car or getting dinner.
“I reached for him, but he was already 10 feet away,” Ryan recalled. Zane then fell 120 feet off the edge.
A rescue team airlifted him to Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas. Zane suffered head trauma and was placed in an induced coma. Miraculously, he had no other major injuries.
Doctors have since removed his ventilator, and he briefly opened his eyes, but he still faces a long recovery.
The Wach family has launched a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses and remains hopeful for Zane’s full recovery.
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