A climber in North Carolina, Jacob Gregory, was leading an ascent with his son on Shortoff Mountain when he fell 20 feet and slammed into a rock, suffering a critical injury. He needed a blood transfusion to save his life, and that’s when Will Soper, an EMT and technical rescuer, sprang into action. Soper had to run 1.5 miles through the gorge, gaining roughly 1,000 feet in elevation, while carrying a bag of blood to stabilize the climber.
Soper’s journey was nothing short of impressive – he made it to the top of the rappel in just 31 minutes, all while carrying the precious blood. He had to navigate through a notoriously remote and challenging area, but his experience as a rock and ice climber helped him stay focused and fit enough to carry the gear. When he finally reached the summit, he handed off the backpack to his colleague, who then rappelled down to deliver the blood to the paramedics treating Gregory.
The rescue was a complex one, involving 24 agencies and requiring rescuers to haul a transport litter up a steep rock face to reach the injured climber. Gregory suffered multiple serious injuries and underwent emergency surgery, and his family has set up a GoFundMe page to support his long recovery. Soper’s heroics have been praised, but he remains humble, saying he’s just an ordinary person doing an extraordinary task, and encouraging others to consider joining their local rescue squad or search and rescue team.