Mum ‘lucky to be alive’ after falling 30ft at Welsh beauty spot
A keen hiker has been described as “lucky to be alive” after miraculously surviving a 30ft fall from a cliff while out walking in the famous Four Waterfalls in Bannau Brycheiniog national park.
Mum-of-one Suzanne Dyer, 50, plunged down a waterfall and into a gorge after slipping on a path. The coastguard, paramedics, firefighters, police, and an air ambulance team were called and together worked to rescue her. She was then airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Suzanne, a gardener from Hereford, was left with serious injuries to her arms, ribs, pelvis, and legs, and required surgery to repair fractures to her pelvis, as well as spinal surgery. She also had a perforated lung. However, she has avoided any paralysis and the fractures to her spine have been repaired to give her long-term stability.
Suzanne’s ex-husband Lindsay Bruce, 48, stated, “She was very lucky to still be alive.” For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter. “She was hypothermic when she got to the hospital so it’s a medical miracle,” he added. “If she landed head or feet first I think it would have been a different story. As she fell, she hit a ledge, which I think has helped break her fall. She also landed pretty much in the recovery position. How she avoided any head trauma is beyond me. It was really nasty but it’s amazing she survived it.”
Suzanne is an experienced hiker, but that part of the walk is quite unsafe as the path narrows down. “She may have got complacent and just lost her footing,” suggested Bruce.
Suzanne had fallen into a gorge on one side of the river, and on the other side was an ex-Royal Marine who dashed over to help her. She was reassured by several members of the public as they waited for emergency services.
Mr. Bruce continued, “She shattered her elbow — the bone was sticking out — and broke her pelvis. The road to full recovery will be a long process and may take a while, but Suzie is in good spirits. I know that Suzie would love to give her sincere thanks to those on the scene who helped facilitate the rescue. Without question, the emergency services and the magnitude of the operation were incredible and how they kept so calm.”
Suzanne underwent reconstructive surgery to her arm on January 2, and two days later she had surgery to repair fractures to her pelvis, as well as spinal surgery. She also suffered a perforated lung but was able to have her chest drain removed on January 5.
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