Family donating organs of teen

Had fall of 100 feet off Hawksbill Crag

The family of 19-year-old Austin Elder who fell off Hawksbill Crag last weekend plans to give medical staff permission to remove his life support so his organs may be donated, Elder’s former high school football coach said Thursday.

Fort Smith Southside High School football Coach Jeff Williams said the family plans to remove him from life support at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Mo., on Saturday.

The ordeal has been hard on the family, said Williams, who had been in touch with Keith Fimple, Southside High School assistant coach, who has been with the family in Springfield.

“They believe in prayer and have been as positive as can be,” Williams said.

Elder fell 100 feet from the Hawksbill Crag bluff in remote Newton County about 3 a.m. Saturday as he and a friend who were camping went to the bluff’s edge to stargaze. He got too close to the bluff ’s edge, slipped on the dewy rock and fell, Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said Monday.

Elder hit at least one tree branch on the way down, which broke his fall somewhat. Elder suffered head, back and internal injuries, Slape said.

It took the friend two hours to get a cell-phone message for help to the Newton County sheriff’s office. Rescue crews rappelled down the bluff while otherswalked to the site where they found Elder breathing but unresponsive. Slape said rescuers got Elder to the top of the bluff about 8 a.m. Saturday.

He was lifted by rope in a rescue basket back up the bluff and was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Harrison before being transferred to the Springfield hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.

Williams said Thursdaythat he coached Elder, who played on the Southside football team as a defensive back in his senior year two seasons ago.

He said that although Elder was 5 feet 5 inches tall and 140 pounds, he was a tough player who didn’t back down from a challenge. Williams described Elder, who was named an allconference player, as “tough as a boot.”

But he also was popular with the other players and always had a positive attitude and a ready smile, Williams said.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 12/14/2012

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