Unbelievable! Woman Miraculously Survives 500-foot Fall Into a Mexican Rainforest After Zip Line Broke (Photos)

 

A mother-of-four says she is lucky to be alive after suffering a fall during a Mexican zip lining excursion, MailOnline reports.

 

The woman identified as Heather Gladden, 36, of Cloverdale, California, only suffered bruising and cable burns throughout her body after a zip line malfunctioned during what was supposed to be a romantic and relaxing getaway with her husband Ryan last week. 

 

A romantic excursion through the Nogalito Eco Park in Puerto Vallarta last Thursday nearly stole her life.

 

Speaking about the incident, Mrs Gladden says she watched her husband zip line across the 2,100-foot canyon without incident. 

 

But when she was attached to the line and sent down the canyon, something happened halfway through and she suddenly plummeted 500 feet straight down into the jungle. 

 

 

'Next thing I could hear the trees rustling through my ears and the noise of the tree branches,' Mrs Gladden told KPIX. 'And then just a hard yank and then when I opened up my eyes I was upside down in the tree.'

 

Mr Gladden watched the accident play out from the other side of the canyon, and immediately ran to his wife's aide, directed by her screams. 

 

When he found his wife, she was dangling upside down from the rainforest canopy, about 40 feet up. 

 

An ambulance was called and paramedics helped free Mrs Gladden and take her to the hospital. 

 

 

While doctors wanted her to stay overnight, the Gladdens decided to return to the cruise ship, which would have left without them. The cruise then returned to San Pedro, where they parked their car, and they immediately drove home to northern California, arriving early Sunday morning. 

 

At Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, Mrs Gladden says she was treated for bruising and cable burns. She says she may have a torn ACL but she's lucky in that she didn't actually break any bones. She credits the rainforest canopy with breaking her fall.