A New Jersey man is fighting for his life after a cliff-jumping accident went tragically wrong during a vacation with his fiancée along Italy’s famed Amalfi Coast.
Jacob Fleig of Berlin Township in Camden County suffered critical injuries while cliff-jumping at the popular tourist destination on Oct. 5, according to the Daily Voice.
Fleig, an engineering student, has undergone several life-saving surgeries and remains in intensive care at an Italian hospital, his brother, Jimmy Dorner, said in a GoFundMe campaign launched Oct. 11.
Fleig now lives in Berlin, the Daily Voice reported. His family has not disclosed how he was hurt in the accident or the height from which he fell.
Dorner said the family’s immediate priority is arranging for Fleig to return to the United States, where he can receive additional medical treatment.
Dorner described his brother as a person whose warmth and personality make a lasting impression on everyone he meets.
“Jacob is a light in every life he encounters. His joyous, humorous, and charismatic personality are the first things everyone notices about him,” he wrote.
“Jacob has persevered through many adversities in life and has always come out a stronger man,” Dorner continued.
“On behalf of my brother, I am asking for your support, generosity, and prayers; to help with medical bills, medical transport back to the US, and assistance with his care and recovery,” he added.
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The fundraising campaign had collected more than $45,000 by Friday evening.
A family friend also appealed for prayers for Fleig, his fiancée Olivia and his mother, Kim, in a Facebook post.
“I’ve known Jake since he was in my friend Kim‘s belly and Jake is now 22 years old. Keep Jake, Kim, fiancée Olivia and all family in prayer,” they wrote on Oct. 12.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Fleig is studying electrical engineering at American Institute, where he enrolled in 2025.
He previously studied biochemistry at Rowan University from August 2022 through January 2023.
The Amalfi Coast is a magnet for thrill-seeking visitors who leap from rocky cliffs and bridges into the water, despite the potential for devastating injuries.
In 2023, a woman at Fiordo di Furore, a picturesque gorge along the coast, appeared to hesitate before suddenly slipping, tumbling over the rocks and plunging into the water.
Earlier this year, local residents voiced outrage over tourists and cruise-ship passengers crowding the popular site.
“For the Mayors and administrators of the Amalfi Coast, they like this mess; otherwise, they would have already issued orders to civilize this mass tourism,” local resident Antonio Attianese said.
