Wiley Corra, a 15-year-old Durango High School student, is in serious but stable condition after falling nearly 40 feet from a pedestrian bridge while visiting Salt Lake City over the weekend.
Wiley’s father, Andy Corra, said his son suffered brain damage from the fall and is still unconscious but has shown movement in all limbs and did not suffer serious damage to his spine. Corra is co-owner of 4Corners Riversports.
“Given the severity of his injuries, he’s doing well, but he’s still very tenuous,” he said Wednesday. “These things are very slow.”
Corra said he, Wiley and his wife, Janet Wiley, were visiting Salt Lake City on a ski trip with friends. On Saturday, the family went to see a movie in Sandy – a suburb of Salt Lake City. The family was crossing a pedestrian bridge when Wiley accidentally went off the side, falling about 40 feet below onto a service road.
Corra said there was an optical illusion that the bridge continued onto an area of grass. Instead, the bridge drops down 40 feet. Wiley had leapt up onto the wall of the bridge, thinking he was going to land onto the grassy area.
An ambulance arrived within five minutes of the fall, Corra said. Wiley was taken to Intermountain Hospital in Murray, Utah. The family intends to set up a Caring Bridge page to provide updates on his condition.
Wiley is a freshman at Durango High School, known for skill in outdoor sports. He has been kayaking since he was 2 years old, and is on the high school’s cross-country team.
His main sport, Corra said, is Nordic skiing. Just two weeks ago, Wiley placed third at a race at the 2018 US Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Junior National Championships. The races were held at Solider Hollow, Utah. Wiley was one of three Durango athletes selected for the event.
Corra said the family is asking that if anyone happens to be passing through or by Salt Lake City, they visit the hospital, possibly helping by spending a few hours with Wiley.
“We want someone in the room with him at all times,” Corra said.
Already, the output from the community of Durango has been amazing, Corra said.
“Once again, Durango has just shown us why we love Durango so much,” he said.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
