Local student injured,

Published 10:54 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

A Mount Si High School freshman is in serious condition after hitting his head on rocks Monday, June 20, at the Blue Hole, a popular swimming spot on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Caleb Williams, 15, of Snoqualmie fell into the water from a high rope swing and was knocked unconscious.

Several kids were playing on the rope swing tied to a tree above Blue Hole northeast of North Bend near Silver Creek. When one girl got stuck on the rope Williams rescued her, but fell 25 feet down into the water, hitting his head on rocks.

Williams’ friends pulled him out of the water when he didn’t come up right away. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Injuries included a broken left arm, broken cheek bone and various cuts and bruises all over his body. According to an e-mail from Williams’ father, Andy Williams, Caleb was still in a coma as of Saturday, June 25, but was showing positive signs. MRIs showed no brain stem damage and no neck, vertebrae or spinal cord damage. Caleb was put on a feeding tube June 23 and had a slight case of pneumonia from the river water that he ingested.