A photographer who left his accounting career to travel the world is fighting for his life after plunging 200 feet from a cliff in Portugal.
Kyle Quin Schrock, 36, of San Diego, California, was hiking on Madeira on October 11 when the trail reportedly gave way beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground.
“I thought it was my death,” the renowned photographer said in a video shared on Instagram. Lying in a hospital bed, Schrock had visible cuts across his face, while a breathing apparatus rested around his neck.
He said his fall was stopped by an unexpected obstacle. “Eventually [I] got caught on a piece of grass, like a little bush,” Schrock explained. “It did not feel strong enough for me to get caught on. I was very surprised.”
As he dangled above the abyss, Schrock heard a voice and looked up to see someone in a helicopter. The person told him they had spotted him and that help was on the way.
“And that was the best news I could ever get,” Schrock said, pausing briefly to put his oxygen mask back on.
The shaken adventurer later told his 1.3 million Instagram followers that the ordeal had felt “like a really precarious situation.” Rescuers soon arrived and transported him to a local hospital.
“Life has stayed so still since I got here,” he said in the video, which was posted last week. “I feel like I’ve been in a weird daze, really struggling to maintain any normalcy.”
Schrock said he was in severe pain and had suffered multiple serious injuries. “My back is broken, my ribs are broken, my sternum is broken,” he revealed, grunting as he spoke.
Kyle Quin Schrock, 36, from San Diego, California, is fighting for his life after falling 200 feet from a cliff while hiking in Portugal
Schrock left his job as an accountant to explore and photograph the world. Source: Kyle Quin Schrock / Facebook
Despite the extent of his injuries, Schrock wanted to reassure his followers. “I wanted to give you guys an update — I am alive, I’m grateful to be alive, grateful to have friends that called the life flight for me. They did an awesome job.”
He ended the brief message by promising that he would “get back out there and enjoy life again.”
“But for now, I’ll be here,” he said.
Alongside the video, the photographer wrote: “Hope you don’t mind an intermission from the beauty, but I’ve experienced Earth’s Fury over the past few days.”
An online fundraiser has been launched to help support the adventurer, who it says has “traversed the world 10x over.”
“He has a long road to recovery with travel assistance, rehabilitation and further medical needs in the USA,” his sister-in-law, Tara Schrock, said. “He will also not be able to work for months.”
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It remains unclear whether Schrock has health insurance. By Sunday evening, however, nearly $12,900 had been donated by well-wishers toward his recovery.
Schrock previously told Our News Outlet that he decided to leave his career as an accountant to explore the world. Source: GoFundMe
His sister-in-law said he will need additional care after returning to the United States. Source: GoFundMe
The devastating fall comes years after Schrock first decided to give up his life as an accountant to go explore the world.
He had originally planned to go on a short road trip to satisfy his traveling urges but loved the lifestyle so much that he never returned as his photography attracted numerous brand partners.
‘I was an accountant who spent my days dreaming of adventure,’ Schrock previously told Our News Outlet.
‘Eventually, all the daydreaming convinced me that if I never got out and traveled I would regret it.’
‘I initially planned a six-month road trip to get the travel bug out of me, but it turns out that was just the beginning.’
‘Through photography and social media, I was able to gain a following and eventually attract some brands who wanted to work with me.’
In his video message, Schrock vowed to ‘get back out there and enjoy life again.’ Source: Kyle Quin Schrock / Facebook
Schrock’s extensive photos of his global travels (like the one pictured) have amassed 1.3 million followers on Instagram. Source: GoFundMe
Schrock’s formative years helped bring forth his passion for the outdoors and adventure – leading him to take the road trip that would change his life.
‘I grew up in a city in Southern California and spent most of my days surfing and skating,’ he said.
‘I then moved to Hawaii to attend college and it was here that I really fell in love with hiking and camping in nature.’
Schrock encouraged anyone who wants to try the traveling lifestyle to do so as it has allowed him to capture some amazing moments.
‘I’d definitely recommend this lifestyle to anyone and to any budding photographers I’d encourage them to strive to capture different angles and get a unique style,’ he said.
‘Be consistent and most importantly make as many like-minded friends as possible.’
