The Incredible Story of Joan Murray Who Survived a 13-Foot Fall
There are very few cases of people surviving a fall from a great height. We are not talking about jumping from a balcony or a bridge, but about cases where the height is measured in kilometers. Almost all stories of miraculous rescue are related to air crashes, when people fell together with debris that reduced their speed. The story of American Joan Murray is unique: during a parachute jump at an altitude of 4.4 km, both of her parachutes failed.
At first glance, Joan Murray looked like an ordinary American woman of retirement age. Until she was 70, she worked as a manager at Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has two daughters and grandchildren. It would seem that there is nothing special, but behind this ordinary appearance hid one of the luckiest women on Earth.
Joan discovered parachuting in her mature years, at first just "for the company." After 45, she even took part in amateur competitions and won prizes. But most often she jumped not for the sake of achievement, but simply because she liked it. The jump on September 25, 1999 was no different from the previous ones. By that time, 47-year-old Joan had already made 35 jumps, some in more difficult conditions. As always, she assembled and carefully checked the main and reserve parachutes herself. At an altitude of 4.4 km, the athlete left the plane.
When it was time to open the parachute, it didn't work. It was terrible, but Joan had a reserve. However, it also failed: it opened partially only at an altitude of 200 meters, after which the lines got tangled, and the second parachute turned into a useless crumpled rag. Joan realized that this was the end, but she didn't even have time to feel sorry for herself and crashed into the ground.
The collision occurred at a speed of 130 km/h, which left the parachutist with no chance of survival. But Murray miraculously survived. She landed right on a huge forest anthill, which ultimately saved her life. The anthill itself barely softened the fall, its role was minimal. But the fire ants that lived in it turned out to be more effective than any resuscitation technology. The ant bites became a real salvation for Joan. Despite many serious injuries, their poison caused a powerful release of adrenaline in her body. Her heart continued to beat, although the risk of dying from pain shock or organ failure remained extremely high. Without this natural "resuscitator" she could have died within minutes of the fall.
Joan was brought to the hospital alive, and doctors called it a miracle. The woman had dozens of fractures, ruptured internal organs, a severe head injury, and almost all of her teeth were knocked out. In intensive care, she fell into a coma, from which she only came out two weeks later. Murray then underwent several surgeries at the Carolinas Medical Center and spent almost a year in the ward. Later, she had to return to the hospital several times - sometimes because of new problems, sometimes to continue rehabilitation.
The treatment took several years, but Joan showed real strength of spirit and overcame all the difficulties. She received great support from her daughters Ariana and Carmen, who were still teenagers at the time. They helped their mother when she could not get out of bed without assistance. In the end, everything worked out well - Joan fully recovered. Joan was not only able to return to work at the bank, but also ... started skydiving again. The woman left extreme sports when she was already over 60. Unfortunately, Joan Murray is no more. She died on May 23, 2023 from cancer, which she had been battling for more than three years.
Joan Murray's miraculous rescue is both astounding and inspiring - despite mortal danger, incredible pain and a long road to recovery, she not only survived, but also returned to her favorite business. Her story is about fortitude, luck and the desire to live life to the fullest. What do you think played a bigger role in her survival: a lucky coincidence or an unbending will to live? Share your thoughts in the comments!