Glacier National Park, Mont. — Video from Two Bear Air Rescue shows their crew pulling a man from a creek in Glacier National Park after he fell from an overlook at McDonald Falls during a family visit to the park last Thursday.
Renae and Ken Nurse were visiting Glacier National Park with family and friends. Renae said the trip was a regular one for them because Ken was originally from Helena, even though they now lived in North Carolina.
“We made it to McDonald Falls and it was so clear. It's so pretty. And we all got out, got our pictures and everything that we wanted,” Renae said.
Renae went back to the car to warm up while Ken moved closer to the edge for a better look. She said the ground gave way and Ken fell 120 feet down the cliff into the creek.
A bystander heard him hit the water.
“The gentleman's daughter said, ‘Dad, there's somebody in the water.' And the guy was able to pull Ken out by his foot and get into the shallows. And he realized he wasn't breathing, and he started CPR. And it just so happened there was a ranger that was real close by, and he was able to radio in for an extraction,’” Renae said.
She was trying to judge Ken’s condition from a distance and did not know until later that CPR had been performed. Her sister-in-law had gone to get a better look and when she saw the bystander and ranger helping, she had Renae keep her distance so she would not panic.
Renae was able to talk with the bystander later.
“He told me he gave CPR. And that's when I really panicked, because I didn't know at that point. Because I'm a nurse by profession. So, I knew it was a really bad then,” Renae Nurse said.
Two Bear Air Rescue took Ken to a hospital in Kalispell. He spent two days on a ventilator and was later awake and on oxygen with multiple cracked ribs, a compound fracture in his elbow requiring surgery and fluid in his lungs.
Ken said he wants the people who helped him to be recognized.
“I just want everyone who helped me out to get the things they deserve. Because I should not be here right now," he said. "I owe everyone my life and I want that to be known."
Ken was scheduled for repair surgery Monday morning, but that moved to Tuesday after he took a turn, showing signs of a pulmonary embolism. However, luckily that was not the case, Renae said. The family hopes if the surgery goes well and his oxygen levels get up that they can fly home to North Carolina on Wednesday.
“I’m doing pretty good considering. I feel a lot better today than I did earlier. It’s just one step at a time, but I shouldn’t be here and I’m going to do whatever I can to deserve this,” Ken said.
Renae said Glacier National Park is her happy place, and they plan to return to the park in the future; but Ken will not be allowed outside the car, she joked.
“I just I love it out here. It is so peaceful and it is so beautiful and it just takes your breath away every time. Here it actually took my husband’s breath this time but they gave it back,” she said.
NonStop Local reached out to Glacier National Park, who confirmed the incident took place in the Upper McDonald Creek area near the McDonald Creek Bridge.