What started as a day of fresh air and adventure took a dramatic turn for 23-year-old Matilda Campbell, who found herself in a situation few could imagine — stuck, hanging upside down for seven hours between two massive rocks.
According to ABC News Australia, Matilda and her friends were hiking in Laguna, near Cessnock, when she dropped her phone while taking photos of the scenic area.
Attempting to retrieve it, she slipped and fell three meters (or almost 10 feet) into a narrow crevice between two large boulders.
What began as a day of fun quickly turned into a survival ordeal, as Matilda found herself trapped, head down.
Unable to free her, her friends scrambled to find a spot with mobile phone coverage to call for help. Assistance soon arrived from the Cessnock Volunteer Rescue Association, Rural Fire Service, and NSW Ambulance.
Rescue teams had to move seven stone blocks, each weighing between 80 and 500 kilos, to reach the trapped hiker.
Despite the extreme situation, Matilda remained calm. Peter Watts, one of the paramedics on the scene, described her as "calm and collected" even after hanging upside down for several hours.
The rescue was no ordinary operation.
"It was an extraordinary rescue," Watts remarked.
Although Matilda emerged physically unscathed, she did have to bid farewell to her phone.
In a lighthearted social media post, she wrote: "Thanks to the team that saved me... but practice with the phone next time."
Matilda Campbell proved that even in the most daunting situations, you can keep your spirits up—and face it with a smile.
