The Morro Bay couple that helped rescue a woman from Oregon who was trapped on the side of a cliff in Big Sur for about a week, is getting recognized with a state award.
19-year-oldAngela Hernandez was reported missing when she was traveling from Oregon to Southern California to visit her sister. Hernandez lost control of her car and drove off a 250-foot cliff on July 6.
She stayed on the side of the cliff until hikers found her a week later.
Chad and Chelsea Moore said they were hiking down to a beach in Big Sur when they spotted Hernandez’s damaged car.
Chad Moore said they were just walking around the beach, didn’t see any footprints around, just rocks and they kept walking.
Later on, he said Chelsea yelled “a jeep.”
Chad said he told Chelsea to stay back because he thought the incident happened that morning, but when they got closer they realized that the jeep could have been there for a while.
At first, Chelsea said they just saw debris, no bodies.
Once the tide started coming in Chelsea said they decided to go back by taking a long way.
“That’s where we found her, she called for help and I kind of heard it, but I looked and didn’t see anything and I was like Chad did you hear that and he hadn’t heard it, and then she called for help again and we looked and she was getting on her feet and she was standing on the rocks,” Chelsea said.
They said Hernandez looked really beat up. They were able to bring her back to safety and call the 911.
At first, when they saw Hernandez, Chad said she didn’t think we were real.
“She didn’t for a while, even when I walked around with her for like five minutes she said ‘I can’t tell if I’m dreaming or not, like is this real,” Chad said.
He said he remembers Hernandez telling him when she woke up the day she was rescued he had a feeling it would be a good day.
On Wednesday they will both receive a Civilian Award for Emergency Medical Services at a ceremony in San Francisco.
In total 33 Californians will be honored for their heroic acts.
