WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (WHAS11) – What was supposed to a fun weekend full of adventure quickly turned tragic for a Boy Scout troop from Louisville. One of its members was killed after a tree fell on his tent Saturday night.
The Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team identified the victim as Jack Rose, 11, of Louisville.
The group was camping in a spot of Red River Gorge called Rough Trail. That’s near Chimney Top Road. The Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team was deployed there shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The Powell County Search and Rescue Team also assisted in the mission.
“I advised the team that this could be a fatality and to get prepared for it, which it’s hard to prepare for anything like that,” Powell County Search & Rescue Coordinator Mike Sparks said.
The teams described it as a very remote, but also very popular part of Red River Gorge. When first responders got the call, they had to hike about a mile and a quarter in the dark to get to the scene.
“A lot is going through your mind when you’re on your way in trying to get everything straight. You don’t know what you’re going to have to try and do. You don’t know what you’re actually going to face when you get there, and you just let your training take over and get in there and do the best you can,” Wolfe County Search & Rescue Deputy Coordinator John May said.
There happened to be two doctors camping nearby who had already started CPR on Rose.
“Of course, we immediately jumped in and started helping with that. He showed no signs of being responsive at that time, but we continued CPR for about an hour and ten minutes or so,” May said.
First responders also said Rose’s father was on this camping trip.
“He was there by his son’s side while all of this was going on. So, our hearts certainly go out for him. You hate for any parent to have to go through something like that,” May said. “I’ve got a young daughter, and it certainly just rips your heart out. It’s hard not to put yourself in the place of that father that’s there with his son.”
As for the tree that hit and killed Rose, May said it was about 20 feet away from his tent and around 18-20 inches wide.
“It was a tree that had had some damage and was essentially rotten at the base. We’re not sure if that was from some sort of bugs disease or fires that had occurred in the past. This particular tree may have been in this condition for many, many years, and it was just its time to go. People camp in that spot all of the time. It’s just really unfortunate that it fell when it did and that it fell where it did, just a terrible tragedy,” May said.
Both rescue teams said their teams are taking this mission incredibly hard.
“This being a child is probably one of the worst things you’ll ever go through, you know to see a lifeless child suffer something like this,” Sparks said.
“We’re in the rescue business. So, we don’t like the recovery business. We’re all volunteers and not trained professionals on a day to day business dealing with this kind of thing. We want to be able to take the person out and hand them over to EMS or hand them over to their family and everybody is good and healthy and happy, but when something like this happens, it’s just a really traumatic event for everyone involved for certain,” May said. “It’s certainly the hardest thing that I’ve ever faced.”
May said there were about 15-20 other kids on this camping trip. A chaplain hiked back to the scene Saturday night to be with them and help provide counseling. May said they returned to Louisville Sunday morning.
Leaders with the Lincoln Heritage Council division of the Boy Scouts of America also released this statement:
“This is a very difficult time for our Scouting family. We are extremely saddened to confirm that during a local troop camping activity, a falling tree resulted in the death of one of our youth members. Immediately following the incident, troop volunteers and two medical professionals on site attempted to revive the youth and troop leadership contacted the Wolfe County Search and Rescue teams for support. No other youth members or adult volunteers were harmed as a result of this tragic accident. The safety and well-being of our participants is our top priority. We are also mindful of the Scouts present on the outing and the impact the incident had on them, and will be offering grief counseling to our members and volunteers. Please join us in keeping these families in your thoughts and prayers.”