Teen Pushed Off Bridge by 'Friend,' Suffers 5 Broken Ribs & Punctured Lung from Fall
As a kid, I would go with my church’s youth group every summer to a big lake. We would spend several days hanging out on a houseboat or water skiing, thanks to the generosity of a kind parishioner.
One summer, though, our usually fun trip turned scary. We were horsing around on the back of a motorboat when someone decided to push one of my peers overboard.
He snagged his arm on a cleat, those T-shaped attachments meant to secure ropes, and it ripped his forearm clean open. Fortunately, he didn’t end up with any lasting damage, just a rather large scar.
Still, that experience taught me something: You don’t want to horse around during a potentially dangerous situation, even if you think it’s safe.
That should be common sense, but we’ve seen countless examples of people ignoring it over the years. For instance, in 2011, Michael Smith decided to enact a frightening stunt with his friend Cameron Bieberle.
The Florida man was a fan of the stunt show “Jackass,” and he towed Bieberle behind his car in a shopping cart at speeds exceeding 40 mph. The Daily Mail reported that Bieberle flew out of the cart when it struck a speed bump and died from cranial trauma.
Something similar almost happened to a 16-year-old from Kalama, Washington. Jordan Holgerson had climbed a bridge over Moulton Falls, a popular hiking destination.
CBS 21 News posted a video that showed her and a friend standing on the lip of the bridge having climbed over the guard rails. Both are clad in swimsuits and obviously deciding whether or not to jump.
At least two other friends have stayed on the bridge itself. In the video, Jordan seems nervous, glancing back and forth, then wringing her hands.
Suddenly, someone grabs her shoulders and forcibly shoves her off the bridge. Just a harmless prank, right? A little push into the water below.
But it didn’t end humorously for Jordan. The Longview Daily News reported that the fall cracked five of the girl’s ribs.
KGW interviewed Jordan, and she said, “I could’ve died. That was my first time on the bridge.
“In midair, I think I might’ve blacked out. I was awake and aware when I hit the water.”
Someone — Jordan doesn’t seem certain of who — swam out and rescued her afterward. She was then transferred to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
Her mother, Genelle Holgerson, said, “She is lucky she is not paralyzed or dead. We’re lucky she is going to recover and not have permanent injuries.”
Jordan told reporters that the person who pushed her has since apologized, but that may not be enough. Police have launched a criminal investigation into the incident.
The lesson is pretty obvious: Think before you act, particularly when it involves the safety of others.
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