Alexandra "Lexi" DeForest, a 21-year-old Colorado State University senior, was climbing in the Wyoming mountains with a friend earlier in August when she fell while trying to jump across a trench and severely broke her ankle -- detaching her foot from her leg.
While she waited alone in the wilderness for help to arrive, she recorded a video diary which she uploaded to YouTube, and it has gone viral making DeForest an Internet sensation.
On August 11, according to ABC News, DeForest was climbing in the Vedauwoo Mountains in Wyoming with her friend Eric Henry. At one point during their climb DeForest tried to leap across a trench, but instead fell 8 feet down the trench, breaking her ankle and detached the bone from her leg.
So while trapped in the dark and waiting for her friend Eric to get help, DeForest decided to record a video detailing her condition and emotional state after her fall. In the video, DeForest demonstrates absolutely incredible cool-headedness, humor and, of course, some pain and fear, but her sense of calm is what really shines through in her video diary as she speaks to, and about, her friends, family, and her dog.
"Oh, so this is me," DeForest says as the video begins with a shot of her horribly broken ankle. "Um, I just broke my ankle. Eww! The second time now, like, come on Lexi, you think you would be better at this by now, this walking thing."
DeForest then wiggles her foot just slightly adding, "So, this is me moving my foot. And it's really gross. I would show you more, but if I look at it I might vomit on myself. And no one wants to see that."
"Speaking out loud and my stream-of-consciousness settled me," DeForest told Fox News.
"I don't know first aid for a foot that's not attached to your ankle, so I'm doing the best I can," DeForest says later in the video. "Yeah, the bone isn't really attached. It's truly something."
As the video continues the fear of being alone and injured in the wilderness appears to become clear to DeForest, but even as she expresses these feelings she remains very calm. "The only way I can put it: I am fucking scared. I am really scared. But, in like the calmest, coolest sense."
She even expresses gratitude to her friend who took her on this climbing adventure, "Shout out to Eric, thanks for taking me on this adventure -- that's not supposed to be rude at all. This was one of the coolest views I've ever seen."
As the 6 minute video ends, DeForest is heard shouting for her friend Eric who can just barely be heard in the background responding to her. She shouts back to him, "Yeah, I'm fine," looks back into the camera and says with a big smile, "You found me, Eric. Thanks. I can't wait to hear what you have to say. Okay, bye." And she stops the recording.
DeForest was airlifted to the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado. She has since undergone two surgeries and is not yet able to walk, but planned on starting the Fall semester at CSU this week. She told ABC News, "I can't even explain how amazed I am. Moral of the story is you can surprise yourself in the face of fear."
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