Fayetteville Geocacher Injured

[RuffRidr]

Hey all, I thought I'd let you know about a local geocacher who was severely injured recently while searching for benchmarks. His name is Cardinal. I'm sure many of you in the NWA area are familiar with him and his caches. He is also a pretty prolific benchmarker, having found 120+ of them.

I'm not 100% sure of the details, but here is what I've heard. He was benchmarking alone in the Chester area on Saturday the 22nd. Apparently he was on a train tressel looking for a benchmark when he fell off the bridge and into the dry creekbed below. He broke his back and his right leg. Thankfully this area is close to the interstate and after a while of trying he was able to get a car to stop by waving from his location.

Anyway, I got an email from his wife and she said he was in ICU all of last week. He had surgery on Monday and is doing well.

I know many of you are friends of his, that's why I'm posting this note to let you know. Also, I hope this is a reminder for everyone out there to be careful. Cardinal will be in our thoughts and prayers.

--RuffRidr

[GEO]

I hope that he is doing better.
I have over 500+ benchmarks now and can tell you from experience do not go alone(always let someone know where you are) into dangerous places.
You are taking your life in your own hands while doing these along RailRoads.Highways are dangerous as well.
We are suppose to flag the area when working or have a flasing light to show there is someone in the area of the right of way.

Even when Geocaching leave a not for the spouse or family as to a tennative itenarary of caches or benchmarks of where you might be
PLEASE.

GOD SPEED CARDINAL

[arkansas_stickerdude]

Cardinal 2 words CELL PHONE!!!!! Hope you get better soon.If you need anything let everyone know I'm sure that a large group like this can help somehow.

[Rusty_da_dog]

And to think I was wondering if anyone had an accident insurance policy since they do dangerous things like this. I have been to a few caches where I was glad I had one.

Get well soon, and if you need a policy give me a hollar.

[Gaddiel]

Hey all, I thought I'd let you know about a local geocacher who was severely injured recently while searching for benchmarks. His name is Cardinal.

Thanks for this post, RuffRidr. We don't know Cardinal personally, but since he's an Arkansan and a geocacher, we feel like he is one of our own. Cardinal, our prayers are with you from Conway! Get well soon!

Keep us updated, RuffRidr.

[RuffRidr]

Just a little update on this. I got an email from Cardinal's wife last night. She said that he is doing fairly well. He is getting blood clots in his legs, but they are trying to work through that by upping the dose of blood thinner.

Also, I want to let you know that I created a "Get Well Soon Cardinal" cache near the Washington Regional Hospital. I've placed one special item in it for Cardinal. Hopefully when he fully recovers, he will be able to go search it out. A couple people that have already found it have left cards or other messages for Cardinal. I think this is a great idea! He'll really like that. Well, here are the cache details:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=89ead76d-1611-455f-9564-b5135c3a477c

--RuffRidr

[ModernMaster]

Wishing for a full recovery for Cardinal. My back surgeon's office is just around the corner from WRMC. Dr. Robert Foster did a Posterior Spinal Fusion on me a couple of years ago. Recovery from back surgery is a long difficult process. I'm sure Cardinal is looking at a few month's of Physical Theropy at least. Good Luck Cardinal.

[arkansas_stickerdude]

Has anyone heard anything else about Cardinal?

[RuffRidr]

I got a message from Cardinal this weekend. He is now at home and recooperating. It sounds like it will be a long recovery though. About 6 months. Hopefully I can get over to his house sometime this week and talk some more with him.

--RuffRidr

[Rockymountainflea]

Cardinal, Hope you are doing better. I know I speak for all NEWBIES out there when I say, you are an inspiration to us all! Get well soon!
Melana
a.k.a. Rockymountainflea