While on their honeymoon in St. Kitts, Clay and Acaimie Chastain suffered an unexpected tragedy when Clay fell while hiking the volcano, Mt. Liamuiga.
The main injury Clay Chastain suffered during his fall while climbing the volcano, Mt. Liamuiga, in St. Kitts was a skull fracture. The injury has prevented him from flying commercial. Clay and his wife Acaimie are expected to be airlifted from St. Kitts to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida later today.
Clay Chastain and his wife Acaimie were on their honeymoon in St. Kitts when Clay suffered a fall while hiking the volcano, Mt. Liamuiga.
Falling down into the middle of the inactive volcano, Mt. Liamuiga, Clay Chastain's wife Acaimie climbed down the side after realizing he had fallen.
Climbing is nothing new to Clay Chastain, but a hike with his wife, Acaimie, on their honeymoon in St. Kitts turned horribly wrong in a matter of seconds.
Last Thursday the newlyweds set out on a hike up the dormant volcano, Mt. Liamuiga. The couple made the rugged hike up approximately 4,000 feet without much trouble in just a few hours.
Clay, a 2014 North Montgomery graduate, was able to see down into the volcano and found a trail that would lead him to the center of the volcano, where unique scenery and photo opportunities awaited. Acaimie decided not to go down due to a fear of heights. Clay then began his trek down a steep angle of 60-70 degrees with only a rope to help guide him as he descended backward.
Just moments later Acaimie lost sight of Clay and quickly realized he must have fallen.
“We knew it was a treacherous hike from reviews online and considered getting a tour guide,” Clay said. “We aren’t 100 percent sure what led to the fall, but I’m almost positive it was the fact that the rope broke since I climb things a lot and I’m always very careful with my holds and footing and I’ve never slipped or fallen before. But I don’t remember any of the fall so we aren’t for sure.”
Acaimie heard a small snap and began calling out for Clay until she eventually heard him faintly say “help.” Clay had fallen and rolled down 50-70 feet and hit his head in the process.
A scene that would send most into shock, instead sent Acaimie into survival mode for both her and Clay.
Acaimie made it down the side and found Clay sitting with bloody vomit all around him. After helping him get on his feet, she pushed him back up to the top, but there was still no cell phone reception to call for help. After another two hours of Acaimie practically carrying Clay back down the outside of the volcano, she was able to call for help and paramedics arrived to rush Clay to the hospital.
“She’s very scared of heights and vomit so climbing down that steep trail was terrifying for her and to see me covered in bloody vomit was traumatizing as well,” Clay said about his wife. “Once she got to me she knew she had to get me to safety and not to leave me alone. She’s a small woman, only 5’ 2” and 105 pounds, so supporting most of my weight while directing me down was very difficult for her, but she managed to do it. She is covered in bruises along her legs that show evidence of that and one of her big toe nails is about to fall of from pushing against the front her shoe so much on the way down.”
While Acaimie made it out with minimal bumps and bruises, the initial diagnosis for Clay was much worse. At first they thought he had a fractured skull and vertebrate, but turned out to be just a fractured skull. However, the skull fracture caused air to enter his brain, which means he can’t fly commercially due to the air pressure.
Acaimie’s sister started a GoFundMe account last week and the fundraising efforts has already covered the $35,000 cost to airlift the Chastains to Florida later today where Clay will be re-evaluated by doctors at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale. Many more medical bills are expected to follow though as they eventually make their way back to Indiana. To donate go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/acaimie-and-clay-chastain-care-and-transport-fund
Clay and Acaimie met at Purdue University where Clay graduated with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2017 and a master’s degree in swine nutrition in 2019. Acaimie received her bachelor’s degree in management and marketing in 2016. The couple just recently bought a house on the west side of Indianapolis.
