Former News Anchor Strapped to Helicopter Chair, Flown Over 3 Miles to Hospital After Falling into Ga. Ravine
Carol Sbarge said she broke her foot in three places after falling near Panther Creek Falls in September
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The Chattahoochee National Forest, where a former news anchor was rescued in September 2024.A former Georgia news anchor is still recovering after she was rescued from a ravine this past fall.
Carol Sbarge, who worked as an anchor and reporter for 29 years at ABC affiliate WSB-TV, told the station that she was hiking in the Chattahoochee National Forest when she fell down the ravine in September.
The woman, who was with her boyfriend at the time, recalled hitting a rock with her foot before plunging down the gorge near Panther Creek Falls.
After coming to a stop, Sbarge realized she was hurt. But she and her boyfriend were in a remote area, and did not have service.
Eventually, another hiker was able to reach Habersham County Emergency Services, according to WSB.
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The Panther Creek Trail waterfall near where Carol Sbarge was rescued in September 2024.However, it reportedly was a two-mile hike to reach the former news anchor’s precarious position. And once there, crews needed special equipment to reach her.
But with more 911 calls coming in, crews decided the best option was to conduct the first chopper rescue at Panther Creek Falls.
So Sbarge was strapped to a chair and flown about 3.6 miles over the Chattahoochee National Forest to a nearby hospital.
Crews had only practiced the rescue mission with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, but were still able to pull off the feat.
“It was textbook to what we had practiced. It was perfect,” Habersham County Chief Jeffrey Adams said, per WSB.
Related: 83-Year-Old Man with Heart Condition Rescued from 20-Foot Ravine After Disappearing from His Home
Habersham County Emergency Services did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Sbarge said she broke her foot “in three spots,” and had both a plate and eight screws put in her body.
The former news anchor said she is “appreciative” of the crew’s “amazing” efforts to help her survive the ordeal.
“They’re just special people,” she told WSB. “They’re putting themselves at risk. You know, every day they don’t know what kind of danger they’re going to face.”
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