Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
((BUT I COULDN'T GET ANY
FOOTING...I JUST HUNG THERE AND
YELLED FOR HELP))
A NEWFANE GRANDMOTHER RECOUNTS
THE HARROWING ORDEAL THAT LEFT
HER HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE.
LIFE.
IMAGINE RAKING LEAVES IN YOUR
BACK YARD... WHEN SUDDENLY YOU
FEEL THE GROUND GIVE WAY RIGHT
UNDERNEATH YOU... LEAVING YOU
HANGING ON FOR YOUR LIFE. THAT'S
WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE WESTERN NEW
YORK WOMAN. NEWS 4'S LUKE
MORETTI JOINS US NOW WITH HER
REMARKABLE STORY OF SURVIVAL.
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOUGH FOR A
YOUNG PERSON.... BUT IN THIS
CASE...WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN
86-YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO NEARLY
FELL TO HER DEATH... THE DRAMA
UNFOLDED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN
NEWFANE.
TALK ABOUT A CLOSE CALL.
(( BEVERLY BLEWETT: I WAS RIGHT
HERE. AND I GUESS IT WAS
SLIPPERY. MY FEET JUST WENT OUT
FROM UNDER ME. )) 86-YEAR OLD
BEVERLY BLEWETT OF NEWFANE IS
VERY LUCKY. SHE TUMBLED 30-FEET
OVER THIS STEEP BANK BEHIND HER
HOME. THE RETIRED PHYSICAL
EDUCATION TEACHER TRIED OVER AND
OVER TO CLIMB BACK UP... BUT
COULDN'T GET ANY TRACTION.
(( BEVERLY BLEWETT: SO NOW I'M
JUST HANGING THERE. LUKE
MORETTI: YOU'RE HANGING ONTO THE
TREE AT THAT POINT? BEVERLY
BLEWETT: YEAH. JUST HANGING ON
THE TREE WITH BOTH HANDS. ))
WITH ALL HER STRENGTH, BEVERLY
HELD ON TO A TREE LIMB UNTIL A
NEIGHBOR HEARD HER YELLING FOR
HELP.
(( LUKE MORETTI: THIS IS A STEEP
CLIFF. HAD YOU NOT BEEN ABLE TO
HANG ONTO THAT BRANCH . BEVERLY
BLEWETT: I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN
SERIOUS TROUBLE. )) NIAGARA
COUNTY SHERIFF'S CAPTAIN SCOTT
LOMBARDO AND U.S. BORDER PATROL
AGENT SAL CACCAMO
WERE WORKING A HOMELAND SECURITY
DETAIL WHEN THE CALL CAME IN.
(( SAL CACCAMO/U.S. BORDER
PATROL AGENT: WHEN I GOT
THERE..PRETTY MUCH THE HAIR WAS
STANDING ON THE BACK OF MY NECK.
)) BOTH MEN MANAGED TO SECURE
BEVERLY WITH A ROPE UNTIL
ADDITIONAL HELP ARRIVED.
(( SAL CACCAMO/U.S. BORDER
PATROL AGENT: THAT TERRAIN
..WHEN YOU GO DOWN THERE... I
EVEN TRIED TO LOWER MYSELF A
LITTLE BIT JUST TO SEE IF I
COULD GET DOWN THERE...I
COULDN'T EVEN TRY IT BECAUSE IN
DIDN'T WANT TWO PEOPLE NEEDING
TO BE RESCUED. )) THANKS TO
QUICK WORK...AND BEVERLY'S
INSTINCTS TO GRAB ON A TREE LIMB
-- SHE SURVIVED A POTENTIALLY
FATAL FALL INTO 18-MILE CREEK.
(( LUKE MORETTI: YOU'VE BEEN
ACTIVE ALL YOUR LIFE. BEVERLY
BLEWETT: OH YEAH. LUKE MORETTI:
YOU'RE AN ACTIVE PERSON HOW MUCH
DO YOU THINK THAT HELPED YOU?
BEVERLY BLEWETT: OH I THINK THAT
HELPED ME A LOT. )) DESPITE A
FEW BRUISES AND SOME SHOULDER
PAIN, BEVERLY IS OKAY. HER CLOSE
FRIEND LINDA JOHNSON RUSHED OVER
AS SOON AS SHE HEARD WHAT
HAPPENED.
(( LINDA JOHNSON: SHE GOT SO
EXCITED AND SHE GOES..LINDA
..COULD YOU HAVE THEM GO BACK
DOWN AND FIND MY GLASSES ... I
SAID NO ( LAUGHS). THAT WAS HER
ONLY CONCERN. NOT AM I HURT. I
CAN'T FIND MY GLASSES. ))
BEVERLY WAS FLOWN BY MERCY
FLIGHT TO ECMC AFTER SHE WAS
RESCUED... SHE WAS CHECKED OUT
AND THEN RELEASED...