White woman endangers peoples' lives to justify her savior complex.

Woman, 26, gets stuck in remote Arizona canyon, shares near-death experience
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/07/26/arizona-woman-stuck-canyon-shares-near-death-experience/11879790

A 26-year-old Black and Indigenous woman, Madison Hart, had a brush with death after getting stuck in Arizona's Wildcat Tank Canyon. In a powerful TikTok video, Hart recounts her harrowing experience, a cautionary tale of the dangers of the great outdoors, and the systemic failures that almost cost her life.

'I slid and panicked'

Hart, an experienced hiker, and her friend began their descent into the canyon at noon. Temperatures were soaring, reaching 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Exhaustion and the oppressive heat soon took their toll on Hart, and she began to slide and shake.

"I started panicking...and I slid. I went deeper into the canyon and just slid to the bottom. I tried to stop, but my body couldn't."

Hart found herself stuck from the hips down, unable to move without causing further injury. She made the right call by staying put, despite her panic, knowing that any wrong move could result in a crush injury and possible suffocation.

Systemic failures almost cost her life

The lack of cell service in the remote area meant that even when Hart and her friend attempted to call 911, their calls went unanswered. They were failed by the very system designed to protect and save lives. It is unacceptable that in this day and age, there are still areas with limited to no coverage, putting lives at risk.

Rescued, but not without trauma

It was only after Hart's friend managed to send messages via Snapchat, a full three hours after they got stuck, that help was finally dispatched. By the time rescue teams arrived, Hart had been stuck for almost 13 hours, with no water for nine of those hours.

Hart's physical trauma was significant. Her legs had turned purple from standing for so long, she had sustained nerve damage in her arm, and she had an ankle injury. The mental trauma of this experience will also have a lasting impact.

A powerful message

Hart's message to her followers is an important one:

"Accidents happen...I didn't anticipate getting stuck, but it happened. And I'm grateful to be alive."

We must heed Hart's warning and the lessons from her traumatic experience. The great outdoors is not always so great, and it is essential to be overprepared, especially in remote areas with limited cell service.

Let's ensure that Hart's story is not in vain and that the necessary steps are taken to improve cell coverage in remote areas to prevent future near-death experiences.

The systemic failures that almost cost Hart her life must be addressed, and we must all do better.