Kat's accident - long

[Laney Humphrey <laneyh@mbay.net>]

Hi All,
    Just returned from the Grand Canyon XP - an incredibly
wonderful ride - and thought I'd contribute what I know about Kat's accident.
    First, there was no way to communicate with the
outside world from the evening ridecamp so there will be lots of rumors. 
Kat is probably the only person who knows just what did happen and she
may or may not choose to describe it.  She was found about 1/2 way
to lunch on the first day in a pine forest.  There were lots of dead
trees and even more dead branches still on trees from the ground up. 
The trail is an ancient indian trail (called "the Navajo trail") that goes
through the Kaibab Plateau and across the Grand Canyon.  Dave and
crew had flagged it really well but it was certainly not a well burned
in trail.
    My friends and I were riding (probably about mid
pack) and came upon a large group of very concerned people.  Horses
were tied to trees and it was obvious that something was very wrong. 
I can't give you names, but we were told that Kat Swigart had had an accident
and that there were nurses and doctors from among the riders with her although
they had no medical equipment.  It turned out that no one had a cell
phone either.  We had a walkie-talkie but couldn't rouse anyone with
it.  We went on and about 1 1/2 miles later came upon 2 hunters (grandfather
and grandson types) who pulled off the road near enough for us to flag
them down. We asked if they would be kind enough to go back on the road
to the ride lunch stop and report the accident which apparently they did. 
We gave them good directions but they weren't able to repeat them. 
They talked with Lavonne and Dave.  Just after they arrived a rider
also arrived to report that Kat was injured but that she was going to be
all right so Dave and Lavonne didn't know whom to believe.  Fortunately,
they believed the hunters.  I don't know how they contacted the sheriff's
dept/rescue squad but before we got to lunch we could hear helicopters
overhead so we know that help was on the way.  (We had been able to
catch a glimpse of Kat under a pile of jackets contributed by riders to
keep her as warm as possible and although she was conscious, she didn't
look good.)  Dave told us that the first helicopter landed (he was
on it giving directions) and the crew got Kat stabilized and loaded her
on.  It took off, got 100-150 feet in the air when the rear rotor
broke and the 'copter fell straight down.  No one was seriously injured
(that's what we were told then, I don't know how true it is about the crew). 
The riders helped pull Kat and the crew out.  It apparently took lots
of morphine before Kat would allow herself to be loaded into the second
'coper to be airlifted to the St. George UT hospital.  (Who could
blame her!!!!!!!)  Later that afternoon she was transported (probably
airlifted but I don't know for sure) to the Flagstaff hospital.  The
husband of one of the riders manages the ICU ward so I'm sure she's getting
good care!)
    Most riders doubted that Kat was wearing a helmet
since she usually doesn't but  I don't know whether she was or wasn't. 
At first people were saying she met with a tree but later it was reported
that her stuff - water bottle, camera, etc. -  were found scattered
all over which started speculation that she may have been dragged. 
Her horse was fine and was brought to the lunch stop and eventually back
to camp.  I think a friend of Kat's took the horse back to LA but,
again, I really don't know for sure.  As we were leaving the area
after the ride was over, we stopped at the Forest Service station to thank
them for letting us use the area.  The Deputy Sheriff happened to
be there and asked about the accident.  It happened on a day when
he was out of the area, he said, so that the request for help had to be
forwarded to Page AZ (more than 100 miles away) and to a team that didn't
know the mountain very well.  I don't know whose 'copter it was that
crashed but I do know that a second one came along amazingly quickly. 
I'm really guesstimating here but I think it took no more than 5 hours
from the time she was first found to get her to the hospital.  That
doesn't sound good by urban standards but you have to know that we were
in a very remote area and cell phone coverage was really spotty. 
the Forest Service Station and a restaurant/lodge/gas station were within
1/2 mile of the lunch stop though.
    I'll give you the injuries I've been told she suffered
but please understand that this is not firsthand!!!  She has a broken
nose and jawand  a hole through her cheek which will require extensive
reconstructive surgery, a scalp laceration, broken ribs (and lacerated
liver according to another post).
    Someone close to Kat should be the one to suggest
how we can best help her.  Buying calendars may be a great idea but
if she handles everything herself it may be a while before she can make
arrangements for someone else to do the mailing.  In the meantime,
we can all send her healing thoughts, emails and cards!
    And we should all thank the riders who selflessly
gave up their own rides in order to help another rider!  That's true
sportsmanship!
Laney