Kamrey Leiser is hospitalized in Salt Lake City being treated for internal injuries she suffered after a hiking accident on June 11 near Big Timber. (Courtesy Photo)
by Judy Killen-by Yellowstone County News
SHEPHERD — 10-year-old Kamrey Leiser has been through a lot since she stepped on the wrong boulder on June 11.
She was hiking with her family in the Natural Bridge State Park area south of Big Timber when she stepped on a boulder that tipped, then rolled over her.
Kamrey “and the boulder started tumbling,” said her grandfather, Greg Oblander. “There were other rocks rolling as well.”
One boulder landed on Kamrey, breaking her pelvis in three places and causing severe internal injuries.
Family friend Marc McCann, who was hiking with the group, stopped another that Oblander said could have killed the girl if it had landed on her.
“He blocked the rock with his own body,” Oblander said.
McCann, a trained first responder, checked her injuries and carried her up out of the canyon they were in, and then Kamrey’s dad, Brian Leiser, carried her to their pickup.
They rushed to the hospital in Big Timber, which sent her to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings by emergency flight, Oblander said.
She stayed at St. Vincent until Monday, when medical staff transferred her to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City for surgery Tuesday on her small intestine and pancreas.
Oblander said the procedure, called a Whipple technique, is often used in patients with pancreatic cancer.
She underwent another surgery on Thursday.
Oblander said Kamrey endured “fairly extensive surgery yesterday (Tuesday),” Greg blander said. “Hopefully not as long tomorrow (Thursday).”
As of Wednesday, 84 people had donated $14,675 to Kamrey’s GoFundMe account online. People who wish to donate to her family locally may bring their donations to the Yellowstone County News office at 117 Northern Ave. in Huntley.
Lesser Family left to right, Kinley, Kamrey, Brian, Dylan, Nicole, Haleigh, Mikayla, (Courtesy photo)
Oblander said many people have helped the family. When she was sent to Salt Lake on Monday night, her mom, Nicole, went with her on the plane. Kamrey’s dad, Brian, and her grandmother, Oblander’s wife, flew dow,n too — on a flight donated by Western Skies Avation.
“That’s pretty incredible,” he said. The family has also received free donated hay for their livestock and the family’s other children are being cared for, easing Brian and Nicole’s burden, he said.
Kamrey suffered a lacerated liver, injuries to her pancreas, stomach and small intestine and her pelvis is broken in three places. She has more than 40 stitches from cuts from jagged rocks but “no head injuries, no broken legs or arms,” Oblander said.
The family is grateful for the help and prayers they have received, he said.
