A teenager from California ended up in a medically induced coma after experiencing hallucinations while hiking Mount Whitney, ultimately falling down a 120-foot slope right before his father’s eyes.
Ryan Wach shared that he and his 14-year-old son, Zayn, were on the hike when a disaster struck. According to reports, Zayn suffered severe injuries, leading to his current condition.
Following the fall, Zayn remained in a coma and had multiple injuries, including broken bones.
This event unfolded as they made their way down the mountain, and Ryan initially believed his son was more than capable of managing the hike.
“He’s definitely in better shape than I am,” Ryan noted, mentioning Zayn’s background in various sports. He viewed this hike as a sort of introduction to more serious climbs.
However, midway through their hike, Zayn began exhibiting symptoms of altitude sickness.
Realizing his son was struggling, Ryan opted for a gentler route for the descent, hoping for a safer return to their vehicle.
As they descended, Zayn began to experience hallucinations, telling his father he was seeing things like a snowman or Kermit the Frog.
While Ryan kept an eye on Zayn, he remarked that his son seemed fine. But about an hour later, Zayn’s behavior shifted dramatically, leading to confusion about his surroundings.
“It was strange,” Ryan recounted. “He was unsure if he was dreaming.”
Feeling increasingly disoriented, Zayn insisted he had already completed the hike multiple times, leaving his father bewildered.
This alarming change prompted other hikers nearby to call for help, sensing the situation was serious.
Despite this, Zayn’s state appeared to worsen, with Ryan describing him as “obsessed” and unsteady on his feet.
Then, Zayn attempted to approach a ledge on the steep slope, but Ryan was able to pull him back just in time.
Overwhelmed, Ryan struggled with emotions, momentarily losing sight of Zayn.
“I had to wipe my tears. I was holding my face,” he said, recalling how, in a split second, Zayn slipped away.
In a tragic turn, Zayn fell down the slope, about 120 feet, before hitting the ground.
Nearby hikers, including an EMT, rushed to help, with Ryan quickly following to assist his son.
Zayn lay on the slope for several hours while rescue teams worked to reach him.
Eventually airlifted to a hospital, Zayn was assessed and transferred to a pediatric trauma center in Las Vegas, where his father learned that the extent of his injuries was surprisingly minimal after such a fall.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with medical expenses, and Ryan shared that Zayn is showing signs of improvement, even briefly opening his eyes recently, though the journey ahead is still challenging.
Hallucinations can be serious indicators of altitude sickness, specifically high-altitude cerebral edema, a condition that can arise from lack of oxygen.
This illness affects nearly 1% of those who reach significant altitudes between 13,000 to 18,000 feet.
