He Suffered A Two Hundred Foot Fall In The San Bernardino Mountains And Nearly Lost His Life, But Then He Found An iPhone Buried 6 Feet Under Snow

San Bernardino, California. Matthew Jaurequi went hiking in the San Bernardino mountains on December 21st.

He and his friend frequented the area often. But, on that particular Tuesday, Matthew nearly lost his life.

“We very quickly found ourselves in an unfamiliar position,” Matthew recalled, “An icy patch on the trail led to a slip, and I tumbled down the side of the mountain.”

Matthew fell nearly two hundred feet and hit a tree. This enormous fall caused him to sustain numerous life-threatening injuries– including a collapsed lung, broken ribs and wrist, a shattered spleen, and internal bleeding.

While in agonizing pain and stuck at an icy forty-five-degree angle, a miracle saved Matthew’s life.

He used a stick to dig himself out, and then he hit an iPhone buried under six feet of snow.

“Not knowing whether it was working or not, the SOS emergency function came to mind,” Matthew explained.

“I have always been a techie-gear-head with an interest in crisis response, and this opportunity to ‘test the skill’ saved our lives and could save others.”

GoFundMe; pictured above is Matthew with Sheriff J. Thompson, Deputy Sheriff San Bernardino County

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He held down the buttons located on the side of the iPhone to initiate the “SOS-swipe.” Then, he was immediately connected to first responders.

“We received the incredible response of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s aviation and rescue team, and the emergency medical triage at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center,” Matthew said.

“At just one percent battery life, we stayed connected to our rescuers for more than fifteen minutes until we were found.”

Matthew and his wife, Jessica, are beyond grateful and humbled by this experience.

“I am now in recovery. My wife and I are more connected and resilient as a partnership than ever before,” he said, “My life is a gift, and it is without a doubt that I intend on living as fiercely and as presently as I can.”

Still, Matthew’s injuries are far from healed. He has an upcoming surgery for his wrist, as well as numerous other hospital bills and recovery time off from work to worry about.

These large financial strains are what pushed Matthew and Jessica to organize a GoFundMe campaign.

“These are logistical factors that we are managing, and we want to express that we are greatly appreciative of any support, thought, prayer, or encouragement,” he wrote.

The GoFundMe, with a goal of fifty thousand dollars, has reached just over ten thousand dollars so far. Matthew’s new lease on life continues to touch and inspire many donors.

“Wishing you all the best as you fight through this on your way to recovery. One day at a time,” wrote Peter Abe, who donated one hundred dollars.

“Praying for a full and speedy recovery,” wrote Roger Lee, who donated two hundred dollars.

If you would like to donate to Matthew’s cause or spread the word on social media, you can visit his GoFundMe link here.

“Thank you for being gifts to me,” Matthew said to his donors.

Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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