Father, daughter seriously injured in fall off 30-foot cliff while hiking
Kentucky Tennessee National Guard father and daughter injured fall off cliff hiking accident Fourth of July
Grason Passmore Gray News staff
Weeks after the accident, the 3-year-old girl remains hospitalized and facing a long road to recovery.
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WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) - A Kentucky National Guardsman and his 3-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries while hiking with family over the Fourth of July holiday.

For nine months, Capt. Logan Forrest of the National Guard was deployed in the Middle East. He was welcomed home by his family and community at the end of May. Just a little over a month later, a family vacation turned tragic, WKYT reports.

“It’s unimaginable. I can’t imagine what they’re going through. But what I can share from talking to Logan is his strength, and his trust is in God,” said Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay, who is a family friend.

While on a July 3 hike in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Forrest’s 3-year-old daughter, Emerson “Emmie” Forrest, slipped on a rock. Her father tried to catch her, but both fell down a 30-foot cliff and were left unconscious. They were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Among many other injuries, Forrest had a fractured skull and two broken ribs. His daughter suffered brain damage, but she’s now starting to wake up, something Kay calls miraculous.

“They’re living a normal life, but they’ve had some extraordinary circumstances. They’ve really, really been dealt some difficult challenges. Hopefully, our community can help them overcome at least a little bit,” Kay said.

Forrest was hospitalized for several days and spent some time in the intensive care unit. He has been discharged but will need physical therapy.

Weeks after the accident, Emmie remains hospitalized. Doctors say the 3-year-old has a long road to recovery, but she should fully heal, according to family Facebook posts.

Forrest and his wife, Taylor, spoke with WKYT over the phone from the hospital. They say they truly believe in the power of prayer, and they’ve felt all of the prayers and well wishes coming from the Woodford County community.

“Logan knows that the best thing our community does is wrap around families who are struggling, experiencing difficulty or trouble. I wasn’t surprised at all by the outpouring of support,” Kay said.

As Emmie continues to recover, she has a large community cheering her on back home. They are asking others to pray for the little girl and her family.