STUDENT, 21, SURVIVES 70-FOOT FALL FROM BRIDGE AFTER HORRIFIC HIGHWAY CRASH
STUDENT, 21, SURVIVES 70-FOOT FALL FROM BRIDGE AFTER HORRIFIC HIGHWAY CRASH
A 21-year-old college student miraculously survived a roughly 70-foot fall from a motorway bridge in Kansas after trying to escape an out-of-control truck during a terrifying multi-vehicle crash.
Kyra Kinnison, an animal science undergraduate, was travelling toward Salina with her boyfriend, Dalten Grabast, on Friday when a series of events unfolded on Highway K-18.
What began as a highway collision quickly turned into a desperate fight for survival.
A PALLET TRIGGERS A FOUR-CAR CRASH
According to reports, a pallet fell from a truck, triggering a four-car pile-up on the highway.
Kyra and Dalten had been travelling separately when Kyra saw that her boyfriend had become involved in the collision.
She got out of her vehicle and moved toward the crash.
But moments later, another truck came towards her.
With almost no time to react, Kyra tried to get out of its path.
Instead, she went over the edge of the overpass.
She plunged approximately 70 feet onto Highway K-18 below.
SHE SURVIVED THE FALL
Despite the enormous drop, Kyra survived.
She suffered multiple fractures, including injuries to several vertebrae as well as her pelvis and tailbone.
Emergency crews faced a complicated rescue operation because of the location of the crash and the difficult terrain around the bridge.
Riley County police Corporal Jonathan Shepard said the rescue required coordinated efforts to safely manage the crash scene and reach Kyra.
Her boyfriend Dalten described the minutes after the fall as agonising.
He told the Daily Mail that it felt like an eternity because he did not know whether Kyra would survive or what condition she would be in.
When rescuers eventually brought her back up to the bridge, he walked alongside her stretcher, telling her that he was there and that he loved her.
KYRA WAS WALKING AGAIN WITHIN DAYS
In an extraordinary sign of recovery, Dalten said Kyra was able to walk with the support of a walker less than 48 hours after the accident.
He described her survival as a miracle.
Kyra remains in hospital and is expected to undergo hip realignment surgery.
Her friend Sara Celeen has also launched a fundraising campaign to help cover Kyra’s rent, medical expenses and other costs during her recovery.
Celeen said Kyra is recovering and “is going to be okay.”
A TERRIFYING MOMENT THAT ENDED DIFFERENTLY
The incident left Kyra seriously injured but alive after what could have been a fatal fall.
Her boyfriend, who watched her disappear over the bridge, was eventually able to see her safely recovered by emergency responders.
The circumstances also highlight how quickly a highway collision can develop into a life-threatening emergency.
For Kyra and those close to her, the focus now is on her recovery and the upcoming surgery.
After surviving a 70-foot fall, the young student is facing a long road back — but her family and friends say she has already shown remarkable progress.
