Fisherman who became trapped under massive boulder reveals he used Siri to call 911 as he describes miracle survival
A man who found himself trapped under a massive boulder while fishing alone was miraculously rescued after using Siri to call 911.
Joseph Little, 28, was fishing alone at a marina in Hammond, a neighborhood in Astoria on the coast of Oregon, when a boulder dislodged and fell on him, according to his family and emergency responders.
The Warrenton Fire Department arrived on scene at 7.38am on Sunday and found Little pinned under a rock. The Coast Guard rushed to assist when firefighters could not evacuate him due to the unstable terrain.
The Guard’s Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived at 9.55am and hoisted Little from the rocks. They then transported him to Columbia Memorial Hospital.
His family wrote in an online fundraiser that even though he was unable to free himself from the boulder, he used his headphones to call for help.
‘What followed was an incredible rescue effort. Multiple agencies, first responders, and helicopters came together to locate Joe, free him from beneath the boulder, and get him the emergency medical care he desperately needed,’ the fundraiser’s description read.
Little’s mother, Mindy, told local Fox affiliate KPTV that he told Siri to call 911 using his Bluetooth earbuds, which stayed on after the boulder crushed him.
‘His face got smashed. He’s almost unrecognizable. It’s a miracle that my son is alive,’ Mindy emotionally recalled.
Joseph Little was miraculously rescued on Sunday morning after a boulder crushed him while he was fishing solo. He is pictured above with his wife, Sabrina. Picture source: Sabrina Little / Facebook
The Coast Guard released stunning footage of the rescue. An emergency responder was lowered from the helicopter and strapped Little to a stretcher before they were hoisted to safety
Little sustained extensive surgeries from the incident. His mother called his survival a ‘miracle’ and said he was ‘almost unrecognizable.’ Picture source: Support Now
Sergeant Dylan McCoy with the Warrenton Police told the outlet that responders found Little by honking their horns while a dispatcher asked if he could hear them.
First responders also used a drone to find Little. Only part of his upper body was visible when they located him.
The fire department moved the smaller rocks surrounding Little so he could escape. He was then hoisted to safety when the Coast Guard arrived.
Dramatic footage revealed a member of the Guard lowering themself from the helicopter above the rocky terrain.
The emergency responder then secured Little on a stretcher as another Coast Guard member lifted them to safety.
‘Today showcased how the Coast Guard and local agencies work together to save lives,’ said Chief Petty Officer Patrick Toomey, the command duty officer for the Coast Guard Sector of the Columbia River.
The Coast Guard warned that jetties and breakwaters are dangerous, often with slippery or uneven surfaces and changing tides that can shift boulders.
Kelly Simonson, Little’s grandmother, told KPTV that he felt the boulder shift and attempted to move away, but he slipped, and it crushed him.
An emergency responder was airlifted onto the scene and hoisted Little onto the Coast Guard helicopter
Local police and fire crews used a drone to pinpoint Little’s location as a 911 dispatcher asked him to locate honks from emergency responders
The Coast Guard warned that breakwaters and jetties often have uneven surfaces and changing tides that can shift boulders, making fishing conditions dangerous
Little is now recovering in the hospital with his wife by his side. The family said in an update on Thursday that he was preparing for facial reconstruction surgery
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According to Little’s Facebook profile, he works for the City of Gearhart and married his wife, Sabrina, in 2024.
The family has raised over $20,000 as of Thursday night for Little’s recovery. ‘Joe and Sabrina have a long and difficult journey ahead of them,’ the fundraiser’s description read.
‘Sabrina is staying by Joe’s side as they face the uncertainty of his injuries, treatment, and recovery together.’
His family wrote in an update on Thursday that Joe was preparing to go into surgery for facial reconstruction.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Little’s family for additional comment.
