Dramatic Mountain Rescue: Man Pinned Under 700-Pound Boulder in Alaska

A Freak Hiking Accident

• ⛰️ Kell Morris and his wife Joanna Roop were hiking in remote Alaskan countryside when the ground beneath Kell gave way.
• 💥 He tumbled down a slope and became pinned under a 700-pound boulder, covering his entire lower body.

Remote Location and Agonizing Decision

• 📵 The location was so remote that neither Kell nor Joanna had cell phone service to call for help.
• 🚶 Joanna, a police officer, made the difficult decision to leave Kell alone to hike out and find a signal.
• 📞 She eventually found a signal and was able to call 911, reaching a dispatcher she knew.

Rescue Operation

• 🚁 A local helicopter tour company responded, bringing rescuers to the remote site.
• 🥶 Kell was weakening and suffering from hypothermia after being trapped for approximately three hours.
• 💪 Seven rescuers worked together to heave the massive rock off Kell.
• ✈️ A second, larger helicopter from the Air National Guard arrived to medevac Kell to a hospital.

Survival and Recovery

• ✅ Kell Morris expressed feeling very lucky to be alive after the ordeal.
• 🤕 He has no memory of the fall itself, only regaining consciousness in excruciating pain with the boulder on top of him.