An Oregon fisherman trapped beneath a massive boulder along a dangerous coastal jetty managed to summon rescuers using Siri in a remarkable emergency call his family believes saved his life.
Joe Little, 28, was fishing alone early Saturday, September 26, at the Hammond Marina jetty near Astoria when a large rock suddenly shifted and came down on top of him.
According to Little’s grandmother, Kelly Simonson, he had sat on the rock before without a problem. This time, however, he reportedly felt it begin to move beneath him.
Little attempted to brace himself with his feet, but the enormous boulder continued moving. He slipped down between the rocks and became pinned underneath it.
The situation quickly became even more dangerous because Little was trapped below the high-tide waterline.
Unable to free himself, Little discovered that his Bluetooth earbuds were still connected to his phone despite the fall.
That small piece of technology became his lifeline.
Little reportedly used a voice command to activate Siri and call 911 without needing to reach his phone.
Warrenton police and firefighters were dispatched shortly after 7 a.m. As emergency crews rushed to the marina, however, they faced another problem — nobody knew exactly where Little was trapped among the enormous rocks making up the jetty.
Responders came up with an unusual way to narrow down his location.
Police officers began sounding the horns on their vehicles while a 911 dispatcher remained on the phone with Little and asked whether the noises sounded closer or farther away.
Once authorities had a general idea of where he was, Sgt. Dylan McCoy of the Warrenton Police Department launched a drone over the rocky shoreline.
Little was spotted within minutes.
Only portions of his upper body and feet could be seen from beneath the rock, according to authorities.
The discovery presented rescuers with another difficult decision. Attempting to move the enormous boulder itself could have caused additional rocks to shift or potentially made Little’s injuries worse.
Instead, Warrenton firefighters began carefully removing smaller rocks from underneath and around him until they created enough space to pull him free.
Even after Little was released from beneath the boulder, rescuers still had no safe way to carry him across the unstable jetty.
The Warrenton Fire Department requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard at approximately 7:38 a.m.
A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria was sent to the scene. The helicopter arrived shortly before 9 a.m., and rescuers hoisted Little from the rocks before transporting him to the air station, where emergency medical crews were waiting.
The Coast Guard later released footage of the dramatic helicopter rescue.
Little was eventually taken to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland with serious injuries.
His mother, Mindy Little, said her son suffered extensive facial trauma, including a broken jaw. Separate local reporting said his injuries also included a fractured skull.
Despite the severity of those injuries, his family said his condition has gradually been improving.
“It’s a miracle that my son is alive,” his mother told KPTV while describing the extent of his injuries.
As of Thursday, October 1, Little was expected to undergo an approximately eight-hour facial reconstruction procedure at OHSU. No later public update on the outcome of that surgery had been reported early Thursday.
The rescue required coordination among Warrenton police, Warrenton firefighters, emergency dispatchers and the U.S. Coast Guard — along with the drone that ultimately helped pinpoint Little’s location.
It also came down to a fortunate technological break.
Had Little’s wireless earbuds disconnected from his phone during the fall, he may have had no easy way to make the emergency call while pinned beneath the boulder.
His location beneath the high-tide line made time especially important. Warrenton Police Chief Mathew Workman told local media that rising water could have turned the accident fatal if Little had remained trapped.
The Coast Guard has since reminded visitors to use extreme caution around jetties and similar coastal structures. Large rocks can become unstable, while waves, tides and uneven surfaces can make rescues extremely dangerous for both victims and emergency crews.
For Little’s family, however, the focus is now on his recovery.
Relatives have launched an online fundraiser to help Joe and his wife, Sabrina, with medical and other expenses as he faces reconstructive surgery and what is expected to be a lengthy healing process.
He needs to buy a Powerball ticket or 3 !