Exclusive | Teen hiker who hallucinated before 120-foot cliff plunge taken off ventilator
The California teen who hallucinated before walking off a 120-foot cliff during a hike is finally off a ventilator — but his battle is far from over, his family said.
Zane Wach, 14, remains in a medically induced coma following his terrifying June 10 fall on Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. But his family says the removal of his breathing tube this week marks a “giant milestone” in his recovery as doctors begin weaning him off sedation.
“(This) opens the door to many new steps forward,” Zane’s father, Ryan Wach, wrote in an update shared Friday by the teen’s grandmother, Lisa Hinrichsen-Wach. “He’s not doing much else at the moment, the largest focus is watching closely so that he does well breathing on his own … and being able to cough and swallow.”
The Santa Clarita teen was placed in a coma after suffering severe head trauma, as well as a broken ankle, finger and pelvis, according to SFGate. He was hiking with his father when he began hallucinating — claiming to see “snowmen and Kermit the Frog” — in what doctors believe was a case of altitude sickness.
“He essentially started to doubt reality,” his father previously told reporters. “Like he was in the movie ‘Inception’ or something.”
Just moments after saying he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming, Zane walked toward a jagged ledge and tumbled an estimated 120 feet down the rocky slope. Ryan, who had turned away to wipe tears from his eyes, tried to reach for him, but was too late.
The boy was rescued after six grueling hours on the mountain and airlifted to Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas — the closest pediatric trauma center. Doctors later said it was “fairly miraculous” that he wasn’t injured further, his father told SFGate.
Zane is now experiencing “painful” withdrawal symptoms as doctors begin weaning him off the powerful drugs he’s been on for more than two weeks, according to the latest update.
“He’s been on a lot of heavy drugs,” Ryan wrote. “Getting off those is extremely hard and painful. As parents it’s terrible to watch.”
Meanwhile, Zane’s school community is stepping up.
A video posted by Key News Network journalist Austin Dave shows members of the Hart High School swim team — where Zane was a swimmer, junior coach and teammate — making heartfelt cards and notes of encouragement for their friend.
“Zane, we are thinking of you. We are rooting for you. We know you will get through this,” said Linda Ortega, Hart Swim parent board president. “We are here to support you. Your teammates are here, whether it be the Hart Swim team or the 002 Sharks. We will be waiting for you. We know you will come back stronger than ever.”
A GoFundMe campaign supporting the family has already raised more than $28,000, helping cover mounting travel and lodging costs while urging continued prayers and support.
“Each step, no matter how hard, is a step,” one commenter on Hinrichsen-Wach’s Facebook post wrote. “Praying for your full recovery Zane.”