A heart-wrenching incident unfolded during what was meant to be a special hiking trip between a father and his son, turning a bonding adventure into a nightmare that left a teenager fighting for his life.
14-year-old Zane Wach from California is currently on the long road to recovery after falling 120 feet off a cliff. He was placed in a medically induced coma but has since been taken off a ventilator. His recovery is progressing, but the journey is far from over.
In June, Zane and his father, Ryan Wach, were hiking Mount Whitney in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. As they climbed, Zane began experiencing disturbing hallucinations—telling his father he was seeing “snowmen and Kermit the Frog.” Ryan explained that his son began to lose his grip on reality, describing the experience as something out of the film *Inception*.
Doctors later determined that Zane was suffering from altitude sickness. Tragically, just after expressing confusion over whether he was dreaming, Zane stepped off a cliff and plummeted 120 feet down a rocky slope. Ryan had briefly turned to wipe tears from his face, and by the time he looked up to reach for his son, it was too late.
Zane was rescued six hours later and airlifted to Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas, the nearest medical facility. Miraculously, he survived the fall without more severe injuries, which doctors called remarkable.
Since the accident, Zane has been under heavy sedation. Now that he’s being weaned off the medications, he’s enduring painful withdrawal symptoms—a process that has been heartbreaking for his family to witness.
“He’s been on a lot of heavy drugs,” Ryan shared. “Getting off those is extremely hard and painful. As parents, it’s terrible to watch.”
Support from the community has been strong. Austin Dave of Key News Network posted a video of Zane’s teammates from the Hart High School swim team—where he was a swimmer, junior coach, and beloved teammate—creating cards and sending messages of encouragement.
“Zane, we are thinking of you. We are rooting for you. We know you will get through this. We are here to support you,” said Linda Ortega, president of the Hart Swim parent board. “You will come back stronger than ever.”
A GoFundMe campaign set up by the family has raised over \$36,000 toward its \$40,000 goal to help with Zane’s recovery.
Our hearts go out to Zane and his loved ones as they navigate this incredibly difficult time. Please consider sharing his story to spread support and awareness.