Asotin man who fell off cliff talks about ordeal

Clay Hinman in his room at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

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Story Published: Mar 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM PST

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM PST

By Greg Meyer

SPOKANE - He survived falling off a 40 foot cliff in Asotin County and is recovering at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

Now 21-year-old Clay Hinman of Asotin is talking about what happened on February 28.

"The fence I was working on was all broken over, so I think I grabbed on to it," said Hinman, from his hospital bed at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane. "I must have been knocked out before I fell off the dropoff. I fell down the hill about 20 feet or so and then off a 43 foot drop, down to the ground."

Hinman is relying on others to piece together what happened that day. He says he doesn't remember anything from three days before to two days after the fall. What's incredible, is that he was able to live to talk about such a terrible accident.

"I broke three ribs in more than one spot and tore some ligaments in my shoulder, broke a couple vertebrae in my back,' he said. "And I got fifty some staples in my head, then they sewed me all back together."

Hinman had been building fence for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife about 5 miles southwest of Asotin when he slipped and fell. Now he's facing a long road of rehabilitation and therapy.

"It took me about a week to really come out of it and realize what was going on," said Hinman. "Now I'm able to walk and able to move around, so I'm recovering. I'm just in a lot of pain. I usually get up every day and walk around as much as I can, but that's usually only for fifteen minutes at a time before I get tired and have to take a break. Once I get into St. Luke's rehabilitation center I'm supposed to be getting into more intense therapy."

Hinman said he hopes he can go back to work for Fish and Wildlife after he recovers. He will be in the hospital for another three weeks or so before going into the rehabilitation program at St. Lukes.

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