A Kansas State student pulled over behind her boyfriend on a highway overpass, then stepped back from a speeding truck and fell 70 feet

A Kansas State University student is recovering in the hospital after surviving a 70-foot fall from a highway overpass. The incident occurred on Saturday, when 21-year-old animal science junior Kyra Kinnison was caught up in a multi-car collision on Highway K-18 near the East Riley Avenue off-ramp in Ogden, Kansas.

As reported by BroBible, Kinnison and her boyfriend, Dalten Grabast, were driving in separate vehicles toward Salina when they encountered debris on the road. Grabast swerved and stopped his car, while Kinnison pulled over to the shoulder. Kinnison’s friend Sara Celeen told WIBW that a vehicle then crashed into Grabast’s car.

As Kinnison walked along the bridge, a truck approached at high speed while attempting to avoid the pileup. She jumped back to avoid being struck, but the railing on the overpass offered little protection, and she fell 70 feet.

Reaching her beneath the bridge took several agencies working together

The rescue required a coordinated effort from the Manhattan Fire Department, Riley County Fire District #1, and Riley County Emergency Medical Services, according to a statement shared by the Riley County Police Department. First responders used high-angle rescue equipment to lift Kinnison from the area beneath the bridge.

Manhattan Fire Department Battalion Chief Keith Habbart credited the teamwork and professionalism of responders with ensuring the patient could be transported for care. Fire Chief Doug Russell of RCFD #1 added that the trust built between the agencies over many years of working together proved effective during the rescue.

Kinnison sustained major injuries in the fall, including severe back fractures along with injuries to her pelvis, tailbone, and several vertebrae. Grabast said he walked beside her stretcher to the EMS vehicle to let her know he was there.

In an update less than 48 hours after the accident, Grabast shared that she was already able to walk with the support of a walker. Celeen has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover Kinnison’s rent, medical bills, and other expenses.

In a separate incident the same week, 21-year-old University of Georgia student Kristin Sargent fell from an eighth-floor window at an apartment complex in Athens, Georgia. Reports indicate she fell through a screen while dancing, and her story spread online amid the same news cycle as a Costco worker’s pay jump.

Her father, Richard Sargent, confirmed she is recovering in intensive care and communicating with friends. He said his daughter is “a good fighter, and so she’s going to be okay.”