Prairie Post (West Edition)

Redcliff teen and family need community support after fall at Lundbreck Falls

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A Redcliff teen is in a Calgary hospital after sustaining numerous injuries while hiking at Lundbreck Falls.

According to a statement on a GoFundMe account set up for Alexis Streifel and her family, the 17-yearold was going to follow what others were doing at the falls that day and jump off.

“She went to jump - thought better of it and tried to turn around - but couldn’t stop herself from the forward momentum. And experience­d a most tragic fall,” reads the statement. “After hitting the rocks on the way down, nearly 40’ below, she somehow managed to stay afloat until her friend pulled her to shore at the bottom of the cliff. Onlookers either pulled out their phones to record or ran to the parking lot and left the girls behind.”

Paramedics transporte­d her to Foothills Hospital in Calgary where she remained in ICU as of Monday afternoon.

Alexis suffered a couple of spinal fractures, broken femur, shattered hips, broken pelvis, shattered knees, broken foot, broken jaw, and lost some teeth.

“She is truly lucky to be alive but she has several years of recovery ahead of her, likely many more surgeries, and it may be September before she can manage to see visitors.”

A GoFundMe account has raised more than $19,000 as of Monday to help her parents with immediate costs of traveling and accommodat­ions as she is expected to remain in the hospital for the next year.

The GoFundMe account for Streifel can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/local-teen-amp-familyneed­s-community-support

 ?? Photo contribute­d ?? the family of Alexis Streifel after she took a severe
Photo contribute­d the family of Alexis Streifel after she took a severe

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