A Phoenix man’s European backpacking trip with his cousin took a dangerous turn when he fell 50 feet during a hike in Switzerland. Logan Moore, along with his cousin Adisyn Mathenia, had set out on a 36-day journey starting in Barcelona and moving through Europe, their sights set on making the most of Switzerland’s hiking trails.
The incident occurred as the pair hiked along a cliff, leading to Moore slipping and plummeting onto a boulder below. Mathenia, in a harrowing recount of the event obtained by 12News, expressed the immense difficulty of witnessing her cousin's fall, "That was, like, the hardest part for me, it was just having to watch him fall, and not even trying to reach out."
Mathenia, drawing on her veterinary training and emergency experience, sent friends to seek help while she attempted to reach Moore. According to Headtopics, it took 21 minutes before the first helicopter arrived, and one hour and 34 minutes for Moore to be airlifted to safety. In an an agonizing reflection, Mathenia said, "If he was standing right there where one of my like other friends was standing and he fell there, he would have died."
The rescue efforts culminated in Moore’s admission to a hospital for treatment of multiple fracted bones and vertebrae. Despite the harrowing experience, the prognosis was optimistic, with Moore only requiring surgery for his shoulder. Mathenia and friends returned to the hospital to await updates, and during the wait, they put together a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses to transport Moore back to Phoenix for surgery.
Now alone on her travels, Mathenia continues her backpacking trip, albeit with newfound apprehensions, particularly regarding heights. Despite these fears, Mathenia told 12News, "I just have to keep reminding myself that Logan's alive, and that's all I could ask for... Everything else will kind of work itself out. He'll heal, I'll get over my fear of heights, and we'll move forward."
