(WKYT) – A Corbin teenager was rescued from a trail behind the spillway at Laurel River Lake after falling from a cliff and becoming stranded, with copperhead snakes emerging after dark and forcing rescue crews to change their approach.
Matthew Perez was hiking with friends when the group made their way to a waterfall. Perez lost his footing and fell.
“So we’re going to find a way to get down, across the rocks, I slipped and fell down one of the cliffs. Fell off it,” Perez said.
Satellite text leads crews to hiker
Perez sustained leg and knee injuries in the fall. With no cellular service, he used a satellite texting feature to call for help.
“Told me I didn’t have any service, had satellite. Gave me the option about texting options. Sent out ‘lost and trapped,’” Perez said.
Jerry Rains of Whitley-Laurel County Emergency Management said dispatchers were able to use that signal to locate him.
“Dispatchers reached out to me and we were able to plot it on a map and determine it was on the trail behind the spillway going toward Nose dock,” Rains said.
Crews spotted Perez, and his friends captured cell phone video of rescuers swimming to reach him.
Copperheads force change in rescue plan
As night fell, copperhead snakes emerged in the area, forcing crews to alter their approach.
“As it got darker, one of the firefighters said they saw copperheads and he killed a couple and then he had to move me from where I landed to the other side of the pond,” Perez said.
A helicopter then hovered over Perez and hoisted him to safety. State police provided photos and video of the rescue.
Despite his leg and knee injuries, Perez said he is still able to move around. He recently graduated from Corbin High School and is set to begin veterinary school this fall.
“Just grateful for everyone that helped,” Perez said.