Free-climbing a mountain without ropes or harnesses leaves zero room for error. So when Thomas Perry made a routing mistake on Mount Yonah in Georgia, he quickly became trapped 250 feet in the air with nowhere to go.
Standing on a jagged ledge maybe 20 inches wide, Perry was lucky to get cell reception. Around 7:00 p.m., he dialed 911 to request a rescue from White County Public Safety officials.
Despite his terrifying predicament, Perry remained remarkably calm. According to audio of the dispatch call obtained by Inside Edition, the stranded climber’s primary concern was his dad.
After explaining his exact location near a rock overhang, Perry asked the dispatcher a crucial question.
“I’m not going on the news or anything, am I?” Perry asked.
The dispatcher chuckled and said, “I don’t think so, no.”
“I don’t want my dad to start worrying about me,” Perry explained.
Unfortunately for Perry, the dramatic rescue ensured he would absolutely make the evening news.
White County Public Safety sent drones to locate him on the rock face, and once they did, firefighter Will Roper rappelled down the mountain to secure the worn-out climber.
“I’ve done a lot with dummies and a lot with other firefighters in training, but that’s the first time that I’ve ever done it, kind of in the heat of the moment with a live subject,” Roper told Fox News.
Roper said that by the time he reached the ledge, Perry was shaking with exhaustion but managed to remain cool. It took rescue crews 42 minutes to safely extract him.
While cell service in the mountains is known for being spotty, the National Park Service notes that a mobile phone is often the fastest way to activate emergency response teams at higher elevations. For Perry, that faint cellular signal saved his life, even if it meant being on TV after all.
