A rock climber is very lucky to be alive after a very large rock crashed down in Montana. He hadn't even started his ascent when the boulder struck him.
Despite winding up in the hospital, the rock climber is alive. The incident happened at Confluence Crag in Montana on September 21. Cody Boehm had been chatting with friends when the rock hit him, according to KTVQ. The rock was the size of a microwave. Allegedly, one of his friends accidentally dislodged the rock when they stepped on the ledge.
Boehm experienced potentially deadly injuries. The rock broke his collarbone and seven of his ribs. The climber also suffered a collapse lung as well as fractures and lacerations.
"I definitely knew my right side was broke," Boehm told KTVQ. "I was feeling like I wasn't going to make it. There was a point there where I was like, this is bad."
Climber Avoids Dying
His friends came to his aid and immediately started life-saving measures on him. First responders managed to get him to the hospital.
"He was significantly injured," Dr. Gordon Riha told KTVQ. "Personnel who were involved in Cody's care deserve significant praise and a lot of kudos. They went above and beyond with their extraction from a very difficult location, and then they provided lifesaving care on the way to the hospital."
According to the doctor, the climber would have died if he hadn't been wearing a helmet when the rock hit. Now, Boehm is just glad to be alive and looking to return to climbing. "Your helmet will save your life no matter what," Boehm said, per KTVQ. "That's what saved my life. It hit me in the head. If I didn't have my helmet on, I wouldn't be here today."
Another also wrote, "Omg!! I'm so glad you are ok!"
