A 28-year-old Oregon man was trapped beneath a large boulder along the Columbia River shoreline and used voice-activated technology to call for help, authorities and family said. Joseph Little was fishing at Hammond Marina in Warrenton, approximately 90 miles northwest of Portland, on the morning of September 26 when the incident occurred.

According to Warrenton Police Sergeant Dylan McCoy, Little was positioned atop a narrow and uneven band of rocks extending into the river around sunrise when a boulder, estimated to weigh roughly a ton, dislodged and pinned his torso and legs to the jetty. The sergeant explained that the location is frequently impacted by high tide and strong surf, and Little could have faced drowning if rescue was delayed.

Because Little was unable to reach his phone, his mother, Mindy Little, said he used Siri, Apple’s digital assistant accessed through wireless earbuds he wore around his neck, to place a 911 call. Emergency dispatchers alerted local responders around 7 a.m. Upon arrival, Sergeant McCoy initially did not hear a response, prompting him to deploy a drone that located Little about 400 feet from the shoreline with his face covered in blood.

Rescue teams found lifting the boulder unsafe due to its size and the precarious terrain. Firefighters worked to shift rocks beneath Little so he could wriggle free, but the narrow, slippery jetty prevented safe extraction. The U.S. Coast Guard was contacted for an airlift. An MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria arrived shortly before 9 a.m., hoisting Little aboard and transporting him to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria for treatment.

Little sustained multiple facial fractures requiring reconstructive surgery and remained in severe pain, his mother reported. In a social media update days later, Mindy Little described his gradual recovery, noting that he was able to perform simple activities such as showering, marking progress after his ordeal.

The cause of the boulder’s dislodgement remains unknown. Sergeant McCoy highlighted that the regularly battered jetty can loosen rocks over time, increasing hazards in the area. The Coast Guard cautioned that jetties and breakwaters are often slippery and unstable, with shifting rocks posing risks even to experienced visitors.

“Joseph’s survival is nothing short of a miracle,” Mindy Little said, noting the absence of internal injuries despite the severity of the accident. She expressed hope that he would eventually share details of his experience but added that his focus remains on healing at his own pace.