Man who fell 70 feet down Crowders Mountain released from hospital

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A man who survived a 70-foot fall at Crowders Mountain State Park last week has been released from the hospital and is feeling blessed to be alive.

According to Channel 9's partners at the Gaston Gazette, Navas Delcid spent 10 days at a Charlotte hospital recovering from a wrist "broken in 30 pieces," several broken ribs and fractures to his back.

[RELATED: Man says boyfriend fell from Crowders Mountain moments after taking photo]

But the 40-year-old told the Gazette he has a new lease on life after living to tell his story.

“The only thing that comes through my mind is to be grateful with God,” Delcid said. “I’m grateful that He’s saved my life and I’m looking at this like a second chance.”

Delcid and his boyfriend, Hector Calix, hiked the Backside Trail together March 1. They decided to take photographs of each other near the mountain’s lookout, but Delcid slipped and fell 70 feet.

Firefighters had to perform a tricky rescue in order to save him and his condition was initially described as life-threatening.

Calix was shouting from the top of the mountain but Delcid said he couldn’t move below. Rescue workers carried him 100 feet up the mountain’s climbing wall, and then another 400 yards to transport him off the mountain.

A stranger hiking behind the couple drove Calix to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. He has rarely left his boyfriend's side since, according to the Gazette.

“I was worried but when you love somebody you have optimism and only pray to God for everything,” he said.

Before the hike, the two had traveled to Miami together. They were heading back to New York and stopped at Crowders Mountain on the way to Calix’s sister’s house in Cherryville.

The couple plans to move to Miami within the next few days.

Cox Media Group