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ヘルメットなどに装着して、臨場感溢れる映像を撮影できる「GoPro」。しかし時に思わぬ事故の様子を撮影することにもなる。

滝の底を見下ろしていた

現在、プロのビーチバレー選手であるHeather Friesenさん（26）は、2016年ハワイ大学でビーチバレーのシーズンを迎える1週間前に、友人とホノルルにある「カアウ・クレーター・トレイル」へハイキングに出かけたという。

当時、Heatherさんは「GoPro」を装着しており、崖の端に立ち、滝の底を見下ろしていたそうだ。

しかしその時、足を滑らせてそのまま落下。途中、岩などにぶつかり、滝壺の中へと落ちていく一部始終が「GoPro」に捉えられていた。※映像にはショッキングな場面があるため、閲覧にはご注意頂きたい。

肋骨の複数個所を骨折、肺も損傷

Heatherさんによれば、その滝の高さは約50フィート（約15m）もあり、滝壺の深さは3フィート（約90cm）しかなかったという。

そして滝を滑り落ちながら、彼女は家族のことや、当時ボーイフレンドだった現在の夫のことを思い浮かべていたそうだ。

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🎶 "It's your breath in MY lungs, so I pour out MY praise, I pour out MY praise" 🎶 This picture was snapped two years ago today on my GoPro just a few minutes before the slip that almost took my life. I woke up today feeling unbelievably grateful for God's sovereign and saving hand on my life that day–February 27, 2016. In some ways, it feels like just yesterday, and in others, it feels like another lifetime. God will always fulfill His promises, and I know without a doubt that He is to praise for not only saving me, but also bringing me back to full strength on the volleyball court. It is HIS breath in my lungs, not mine. And I will praise HIM all the days of my life for His mercy that day and always. This body of mine is not my own, and I will offer it as a living sacrifice to God for all He has done for me (Rom 12:1-2). Here's to two years of living life God's way, and many more to come! #GreatAreYouLord #Fallversary #Grateful #YourBreathInMyLungs #Sacrifice 🙌🏼🙏🏼😌❤️

A post shared by Heather Friesen (@heatherfriesen_3) on Feb 27, 2018 at 10:22pm PST

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A year ago today marks both the worst day of my life and the best day of my life. With the 10 broken ribs, collapsed lung, fractured scapula, and some scrapes, how could this possibly be the best day of my life? Because I was shown God's love in incredible ways that forever transformed me. He saved me from death and has renewed my mind to see a world where God is my number one, and absolutely nothing comes before Him. When everything that I put my identity in was taken away from me in an instant, all I had left was God. I turned to Him in amazing ways and would be writing a never-ending post if I shared all the countless ways He has changed my life in the past year. So, I thank God for this accident. Each and every day. Because without it, I wouldn't know His love in such an encompassing and undeniable way. I also can't thank enough every single person who was there for me through this. I've got some fantastic people in my life! I will leave you with parts of Psalm 73 that I accidentally stumbled upon one day and that continue to touch the depths of my heart: "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." "Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand." "My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." #Thankful #Grateful #Blessed #DontGoChasingWaterfalls #CrazyYear 🙌🏼🙏🏼

A post shared by Heather Friesen (@heatherfriesen_3) on Feb 27, 2017 at 4:31pm PST

この事故でHeatherさんは肩甲骨と肋骨を10カ所も骨折。肺も損傷したが、その後病院へ搬送され、幸いにも一命をとりとめた。

ただ彼女より以前にも、この滝から落ちた人がいたようだが、その人物は亡くなったと言われている。

この時はケガだけで済んで良かったが、岩についたわずかなコケでも滑りやすいため、このような場所には決して近づかないほうがいいだろう。（了）

出典元：MailOnline：GoPro footage captures shocking moment professional volleyball player slips off waterfall in Hawaii and plunges 50 FEET into water – suffering 10 broken ribs and a collapsed lung(9/10)

出典元：NYPost：GoPro captures woman’s terrifying 50-foot fall down Hawaii waterfall(9/11)