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| Scoutmaster Jeff Vorpagel, left, with Troop 173 Boy Scouts who went caving last weekend but ended up saving a teen who got stuck 50 feet down in one of the caves. From left, they are Ricky Berlin, Chance Vorpagel and Robert Fox. Jeff Vorpagel, Fox and Chance Vorpagel helped with the rescue and brought the teen to the surface. |
Several Jupiter Boy Scouts from Troop 173 of Jupiter First Methodist Church, including Robert Fox, 13, a candidate for Eagle Scout, and Chance Vorpagel, 15, were accompanied by Chance’s dad, Jeff, an Assistant Scoutmaster and instructor in climbing and caving.
Daylight was fading Sunday evening as the Jupiter group prepared to depart for home from Cairo, Ga., when the father of a teen unassociated with the Jupiter Scouts came running up.
His teenage son was unable to make his final ascent up from a ledge 50 feet below the entrance of a waterfall cave.
“The teen was exhausted and becoming delirious, and he couldn’t help himself at all, ” said Calvin David Fox on Wednesday, as he related Robert Fox's and Chance Vorpagel's actions to help rescue a teen they did not know from injury.
“Ironically, Robert had just finished a Red Cross class in wilderness first aid, and he told me that because of the class he realized that if they didn’t get the kid out of the cave he could have hypothermia and go into shock,” the elder Fox said.
Robert and Chance raced back to the van and gathered equipment that Chance’s dad told them to bring to the caving area.
Jeff Vorpagel lowered himself into the cave and onto the ledge where the teen was lying, disoriented, wet and cold. He rigged the teenager with a double harness so that he wouldn’t be hurt as he was pulled from the ledge, according to Fox.
“Robert and Chance then rigged the rope to the top of the cave, and between them, were able to haul the boy out safely,” Fox said. “This was definitely not a one man operation — they needed someone on the ledge and others above.”
"I didn't realize that there weren't any adults on top," said Jeff Vorpagel, "but it was only the two boys who had set up the block and tackle to get the boy up. They took a bigger role than I thought. I'm very proud of them."
Neither the father nor the rescued teen were identified. But the two Jupiter teens were happy they happened to be there, with their Assistant Scoutmaster, and knew what to do to help the other boy.
“I don’t think the father realized how hazardous his son’s circumstances were,” Fox said. “It was the end of the weekend, and most people had left the cave area.
“If it hadn’t been for these Boy Scouts and Jeff Vorpagel from Jupiter, it could have been hours before the father could get help to this remote area.”
Source: TC Palm