“I can’t thank them enough”: Harrison Hedley home safe after Mt Kaputar fall

While 20-year-old Harrison Hedley is recuperating at home after a potentially near-fatal fall from the summit of Mt Kaputar, his uppermost thought is to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the people who helped him.

Harrison was injured on Sunday night. He was sitting on the railing at the Mt Kaputar lookout when he overbalanced and fell off and over the edge of the cliff.

“I fell backwards, cartwheeled, back flipped, just flying fast in the fall,” Harrison said.

“I remember thinking ‘when is this going to stop?’”

Harrison did come to a stop.

“I was lucky to pull up where I did.”

He found he was lying, injured, on the edge of a precipice below which was a further drop of 50 metres.

It was dark, cold, and wet with a gale force wind blowing.

The first people Harrison wants to thank are his two mates Kurt Wallace and Zac Simpson.

“I was lying there and they both climbed down to me in the dark, risking their lives,” Harrison said.

“They didn’t hesitate. They stayed with me for five hours, holding me up, making sure I was comfortable and didn’t roll over the edge.

“They took their jeans off to lay on me to keep me warm. I was shivering.

“Kurt has first aid experience and he was able to go back and get some bandages to wrap my head up.”

Harrison’s fall was the start of a long night which saw emergency services deployed to come to his aid.

“I want to say thank you to the VRA, ambulance and police who came to my assistance,” said Harrison.

“I can’t thank them enough.”

His sentiments are shared by a grateful family.

“I just want to thank everyone involved,” said Harrison’s father Tony.

“I jump when I think about how close it was. This has really made me count our blessings – we are just so fortunate to have Harrison with us.”

Mr Hedley has offered his gratitude to Kurt Wallace and Zac Simpson.

“I want to say to their parents ‘you can be so proud of your boys and their heroic actions in risking their lives and in caring for Harrison.”

Harrison is now recovering at home and will be recuperating for six to eight weeks.

He was taken from the mountain to Narrabri Hospital and found to have two fractures in his lower lumbar region, plus abrasions, cuts and bruises and a gash to his leg.

“I’ve got bumps and bruises everywhere. My back is covered in cuts and scratches,” he said.

“In hospital I would wake up with a start thinking I was still falling.”

However, the incident could have ended so much worse.

“Harrison suffered what has been very close to serious spinal injury,” said Mr Hedley.

“And the fact that his fall was halted on the small precipice above a 50-metre drop speaks for itself.

“This was nothing less than a near death experience.”

Harrison’s recuperation will be a long one, another source of worry.

“He feels he has let people down by not being at work,” said Mr Hedley.

“His employer Robyn Faber has been in touch to express her concerns and wish Harrison well.

“I said I would be happy to fill in at Harrison’s job until he can return, but Mrs Faber reassured me that won’t be necessary,” Mr Hedley said.

Meanwhile, everyone is wishing Harrison well and a speedy recovery.