Alaska Man Survives Pinned Under 700-Pound Boulder Three Hours

Kell Morris, an Alaska man, survived being pinned face down in an icy creek by a 700-pound boulder for nearly three hours during a hike near the remote Godwin Glacier south of Anchorage. His wife, Jo Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper, held his head above water to prevent drowning and trekked about 300 yards to find a signal and call 911, providing precise GPS coordinates. A nearby sled dog tourism company overheard the emergency call and dispatched a helicopter to ferry rescuers to the inaccessible location. Rescuers used inflatable airbags and the combined effort of seven men to lift the boulder off Morris as he drifted in and out of consciousness and suffered hypothermia. The couple had chosen the isolated trail to avoid holiday crowds, navigating a rocky creek bed with large glacier-deposited boulders, before the ground gave way beneath Morris. Despite the dangerous circumstances and his injuries, Morris emerged with only minor injuries, crediting his wife's quick thinking and a series of fortunate events for his survival.