The Durango Herald reports that a passenger on a northbound train spotted a woman waving frantically from the opposite bank of the Animas River about five miles south of Silverton. The passenger notified the crew, which in turn radioed the track car that was following the train.
The hiker told track inspector Delton Henry that she had a broken leg and could not move. Henry called 911, and learned she had been reported missing on Sunday.
The engineer and fireman aboard the next train happened to be husband-and-wife team Nick and Kylah Breeden. Kylah is a paramedic with the Durango Fire Department. The pair waded across the river to reach the hiker, who ultimately was airlifted to an area hospital.
“The mountains can be a dangerous place, but there are those who are ready to rise to the occasion,” the railroad said in a Facebook post. “This past Monday morning, just outside Silverton a passenger aboard the train spotted an injured hiker lying on the far bank of the Animas River. Members of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train crew, including Nick Breeden, Kylah Breeden, and Delton Henry worked alongside emergency personnel from the San Juan County Search and Rescue to help this injured woman who had been out in the elements … with a broken leg. We are very proud of everyone involved for helping to aid the woman and we wish her all the best in her recovery.”
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