While floating down the Bitterroot River in a fiberglass canoe on July 3, 2009 the river washed out a bank and a 12-inch diameter tree fell over and struck the victim.  The victim was pushed down into the canoe and the passenger was thrown out of the canoe.  The victim was stabilized by Ravalli County Search and Rescue and transported to a hospital in Missoula by a Care flight helicopter.  The victim had major internal injuries including a torn aorta, torn pulmonary artery, 7 broken ribs, torn spleen, torn liver and a broken radius bone in the arm.  The victim informed me that he wouldn't have survived if he had not worn his pfd.
Darby                         