An Alaskan man is counting his blessings after enduring a terrifying three-hour ordeal… trapped face-down in a freezing creek beneath a 700-pound boulder. Thanks to his wife’s quick thinking and an unexpected helicopter rescue, 61-year-old Kell Morris lived to tell the tale with barely a scratch.
Morris and his wife, Jo Roop… a retired Alaska State Trooper… were hiking a rugged, undeveloped trail near Godwin Glacier, just south of Anchorage. Wanting to avoid the holiday crowd in nearby Seward, the couple opted for a secluded trek along a rocky creek bed behind a state prison. But what started as a peaceful escape quickly turned dangerous.
While navigating unstable terrain, Morris slipped down a 20-foot embankment. A massive boulder followed, slamming into his back and pinning him in the icy stream. Miraculously, rocks around his body absorbed much of the weight, preventing the boulder from crushing him completely.
With Kell’s face submerged, Jo jumped into action… propping his head above the frigid water to keep him from drowning. For 30 harrowing minutes, she tried in vain to move the boulder herself. She then trekked roughly 300 yards to find cell service and used her law enforcement experience to relay exact GPS coordinates to emergency responders. That’s when fate stepped in a second time.
A volunteer firefighter, also working with a local sled dog tourism company, overheard the 911 call and coordinated an immediate helicopter response. The terrain was too rugged for off-road vehicles, so rescuers had to leap from a hovering chopper onto the rocky creek bed.
Suffering from hypothermia and slipping in and out of consciousness, Morris remained pinned until rescue crews—using airbags normally reserved for car accidents… were able to slightly raise the boulder. With one final team effort, seven rescuers managed to lift the rock just enough to pull him out.
He was airlifted out by an Alaska National Guard helicopter in a rescue basket and spent two nights in the hospital. Incredibly, he escaped without any major injuries.
“I thought it was going to end badly,” Morris admitted. “But I’m alive… and I’m luckier than ever to have my wife.”
Jo, now serving with the Seward Police Department, and her husband are sticking to well-marked trails from now on. “No more trailblazing for us,” Morris said with a smile. “Lesson learned.”
