Man Survives 5 Days in Ravine After Crash

68-year-old Californian suffered broken back in crash
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 7, 2023 5:32 AM CDT
Man Survives 5 Days in Ravine After Crash
The Kern County Fire Department shared this photo from the scene.   (Kern County Fire Department)

A great-grandfather in California is lucky to be alive after his truck fell 100 feet into a ravine, leaving him stranded and too injured to move. Calvin Smith, 68, was spotted by dirt bikers in Kern County on Saturday, five days after his truck went over the side of a backcountry road and fell to the bottom of the grassy ravine, KTLA reports. He was ejected from the vehicle and suffered injuries including a broken back and ribs. He says he had no food or water and could only pray for rescue. "I was terrified," he says. "I kept asking God, saying, 'Please don't let me die out here.' It was ice cold at night and burning hot during the daytime."

Smith, whose family searched for him and filed a missing persons report, says his faith kept him strong during the ordeal, which included a close encounter with a bear, ABC7 reports. "The biggest bear I ever saw in my life walked about three feet close to me," Smith says. "He just looked at me and kept on going. Praise God. That was God or that bear wasn't hungry or something." He says he wept tears of joy when the dirt bikers spotted the wreckage and climbed down to him.

The two Good Samaritans gave Smith water and called 911. They also called his wife, Dee Dee, to let her know he was alive. The Kern County Fire Department says Smith was rescued from the ravine with a rope and basket system. Smith, who has 10 children, 44 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren, says he's slowly recovering from his injuries and is extremely grateful to his rescuers. (More California stories.)

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