A paddler has suffered severe injuries after jumping from a high cliff. According to Springfield News-Leader, Casey Broome is reported to have slammed into the Buffalo River on May 26th, breaking his neck. This followed a jump from a cliff located 100 yards from Highway 14 bridge in the De Soto Township area of Marion County.
Broome says he turned backward on the cliff and proceeded to fall backwards, over-rotating and landing on his neck. The water of the river was deep enough that he didn’t hit any rocks, but the impact cracked Broome’s C1 vertebra in his neck.
Broome was spotted by two men who were also at the river. The men witnessed Broome’s fall, pulled him from the water, placed him in their canoe and paddled him to safety. In the rush of the accident, Broome didn’t manage to get the names of his two rescuers.
Broome’s paddling companion, Kinsey Van Evera, met the two men paddling Broome, realized Broome was injured and unresponsive, and proceeded to diall 911.
Two Buffalo National River park rangers quickly arrived on the scene and helped moved Broome into an ambulance that had arrived on the Highway 14 bridge. Five miles down the road, Broome was transferred to a helicopter and airlifted to the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital in Little Rock.
Once he arrived at the hospital, Broome was treated by doctors who gave him two options in treatment: fusion surgery with a chance of loss of mobility in his neck or three months in a halo brace screwed into his skull to keep his head motionless. Broome chose the halo brace.
Both Broome and Van Evera came away from the accident with a new awareness of the very real dangers that accompany cliff jumping.
Although it is not illegal to jump from cliffs in Buffalo National River Park, ranger Casey Johannsen advises against it because of the risk for injury. There are a number of signs in the park strongly discouraging the activity and Johannsen says, “My recommendation, always, is don’t do it.”
A GoFundMe account has been established to help Broome with his medical expenses as he heals at Van Evera’s Mountain View home. Donations can be made by going online to www.gofundme.com/he-is-going-to-need-our-help-y039all.
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