"Welcome To Grand Junction!"

Well, "Welcome to Grand Junction!" was a phrase I heard multiple times yesterday afternoon. Not just because it was my first full day there, but I had quite an adventure yesterday, let me tell you....

Brad, Teri (Brad's wife), Bag (the other intern), and I went on a hike at Rough Canyon yesterday afternoon. We were expecting a nice little hike, hopefully to find this 40 foot waterfall at the end of the trail. We hiked for a while, and decided since we did not see the waterfall yet, we would turn around. It was starting to get dark, it looked like some rain clouds were coming, and the hike back was all up hill. We decided to take a break and get some water while enjoying the view --

view from one point of the hike

Just one of the MANY trucks that came with Search and Rescue

We then noticed a girl hiking towards us by her self, she, Sara, got to us and asked us if we had a cell phone, a friend she was with was climbing and fell off the rocks and needed an ambulance. So Brad called 911, while Bag basically ran as fast as he could over boulders to Ben who had fallen. Teri, Sara, and I decided to head that direction back to where Ben had fell. Brad got off the phone with paramedics, and said that someone needed to meet them at the trail head and bring them to the right spot were Ben was. So Teri, Sara, and I hiked back to the trail head where we found the fire department and search and rescue team. They made a plan, and pack all their equipment, and Teri and I hiked back out again to take them to Ben. Brad met us half way, and showed the search and rescue team where Ben was. Teri, Sara, and I stayed back a bit from the accident to where some other search and rescue guys were to show the next group of search and rescue guys where to go exactly.

It started getting darker, and sprinkling rain, Teri and I thought it would be better for us to head back to the trail head so we were not hiking in the dark because we did not have a flashlight with us. One of the search and rescue guys hiked back with us to make sure we were ok. We ended up staying at the trail head with a bunch of other search and rescue, paramedic, police, crew waiting for Brad and Bag to come back since they were still with the paramedics who were with Ben. 

It started raining pretty good, and was dark by the time Brad and Bag got back to the trail head. They said Ben was pretty beat up, it looked like he got in a car accident. Broken femur, both wrists broken, few broken ribs, busted teeth, and gashes on his head. But after falling 70 feet, it is amazing that he was alive, conscious, and talking. That was a blessing! 

All in all it was a amazing, crazy, heart racing, adrenaline pumping, evening. I had some time sitting at the bottom of the boulders were Ben was to talk to one of the search and rescue guys, and got to hear about what they do, which by the way is all volunteer. About all the different teams they have; ground, tech, communication, scuba, it was cool to hear all about each one. 

With us deciding to head back instead of going to the waterfall, was also a blessing, we never would have found Sara, and never would have been able to call 911 for them. She would have had to head back to her car herself to get her phone and call 911 which would have put everything back a good 45 minutes. Which means they would have been looking for Ben in the dark. It all just came together that we decided to turn around at that time. 

As far as we know Ben was air lifted from the trail head to the hospital, we even heard the helicopter going to the hospital. We have Sara's number and hopefully we will be hearing from her at some point on how Ben is doing. 

Please be praying for Ben as he is a college kid here in Grand Junction. It is going to be a very long recovery for him to deal with. Also be praying for his family, when his mom got there she was very shocked and crying. Be praying for peace with his family as they deal with this. As well as for the doctors who are working on Ben. That they have the wisdom to know what to do, and help Ben through his surgeries, and recovery. I will update you all when I hear how he is doing.

So yup, many a times yesterday did I head "Welcome to Grand Junction!" from the search and rescue guys that asked if I was a student with Ben, or how I knew him. They all laughed when I said I just moved here, less then 24 hours ago from the time of the incident.