Why We are Here

On Sunday, August 30, 2026, Jacob Gregory, of Morganton, NC, went climbing on Shortoff Mountain with his son, Jonah. What was supposed to be another day, adventuring with his family, turned into a terrible climbing accident, leaving Jacob critically injured and began what will be a very long and uncertain journey for him and his family.

Jacob was climbing deep in the rugged Shortoff Mountain area of Linville Gorge, several miles from the trailhead and in extremely difficult terrain. Following a serious fall, Jacob was left with life-threatening injuries in a location that was extraordinarily challenging for rescuers to reach.

A massive, multi-agency technical rescue operation came together, drawing highly trained rescuers and emergency personnel from across multiple counties and agencies. Burke County Search and Rescue were joined by teams from surrounding counties, along with North Carolina Emergency Management, NC HART, Charlotte Fire Department, MedCenter Air and the North Carolina National Guard. The terrain was so steep, remote, and difficult that rescuers had to rappel into the gorge to reach Jacob and begin treating him. Getting him out would require an extraordinary combination of technical rescue skills, medical expertise, coordination and sheer determination.

One detail from the rescue captures just how much people were willing to give to bring Jacob home. A Burke Rescue volunteer ran approximately 1.5 miles through the gorge, gaining roughly 1,000 feet of elevation in just 31 minutes while carrying whole blood needed to help stabilize Jacob.

Other rescuers worked their way down the mountain, establishing the technical systems necessary to reach and treat him. Teams from multiple counties worked together for hours. Eventually, because the terrain made a conventional extraction so difficult, a North Carolina National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was brought in to assist. The Black Hawk lifted Jacob from the mountain, and he was transferred to a waiting medical helicopter to transport him to Atrium Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. It took an extraordinary number of people, coordination, and courage to get Jacob from that remote mountainside to the care he needed. To every responder who answered that call: thank you. You saved a life and brought a husband, father, brother, son, friend and loved one to safety.

Who Jacob Is

Jacob is a gentle and kind soul. He has a way of making people feel welcome, and he shows genuine kindness and compassion to everyone he meets. He is funny, happy, energetic, and almost always focused on making the people around him happy. If you know Jacob, you probably know that he is the person who will drop what he is doing to help someone else. During the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, a large tree fell on a friend's home. Jacob immediately made himself available to help with the construction and repairs needed to make that family's home whole again. This wasn't unusual for Jacob. It is simply who he is. He sees someone who needs help, and he helps.

Now, Jacob is the one who needs help. Jacob is deeply devoted to his family. His wife, Kim, is an elementary school teacher in the public school system. Together they have three children: Zoe, who is a college freshman and works at local arts education program; and 17-year-old twins Jonah and Jude, both high school seniors. Jacob also has an adult son, Caleb, who lives in Texas.

Jacob has always been an incredibly active and involved father. He loves spending time with his sons and their friends on outdoor adventures like hiking, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing and whatever else gets them outside together. And when his children are competing, Jacob is there. Cross country meets. Wrestling matches. Lacrosse games. It is hard to remember one that he missed.

Jacob has always been exceptionally energetic and physically fit. Being active, being outdoors and being with his family are such a fundamental part of who he is. He also has a huge heart for animals. After a family beach trip, Jacob rescued an injured pigeon and subsequently learned how to rehabilitate and raise pigeons. More recently, he took up beekeeping as a new hobby. He and his family are also actively involved with a local cat rescue and regularly foster cats. Jacob simply hasn't met a living creature he doesn't love. That is the person we are fighting for.

The Road Ahead

Jacob suffered multiple serious injuries, and he underwent emergency surgery with the Atrium Neurosurgery team Sunday evening and is currently in the ICU at Atrium CMC Main in Charlotte. This morning brought a small but incredibly meaningful sign of hope: Jacob was able to move his right leg a little. His medical team is currently focused on controlling his pain and stabilizing his condition.

It is far too early to know what the coming weeks, months and possibly years will look like. His recovery will be long, and there are many unknowns ahead. What we do know is that Jacob has a tremendous amount to fight for. He has family, extended family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and a community that loves him. And he has always been the person who shows up when someone else needs help.

Why We Are Asking for Help

Jacob is self-employed as a general contractor. His work is physically demanding, and because of the severity of his injuries, he will be unable to work for an unknown period of time. The family will be facing the enormous financial challenges that accompany a catastrophic injury and extended hospitalization: medical expenses, rehabilitation and recovery costs, transportation and travel to Charlotte, everyday household expenses, lost income and the many unexpected expenses that will inevitably come with the long road ahead.

We are creating this fundraiser to help ease this immense financial burden so that the family can focus on what matters most right now, and navigate these new challenges. Every donation, regardless of size, will help.

If you are not able to donate, sharing this fundraiser is an equally meaningful way to help. Please share Jacob's story with your friends, family, coworkers and community. Most of all, please keep Jacob, Kim, Zoe, Jonah, Jude, and Caleb in your heart.

Jacob has spent his life being a good human by showing up for people, lending a hand, making people laugh, helping when someone needs it, and giving his time and energy without expecting anything in return.

Help us give Jacob and his family the support they need for the long road ahead. Thank you for every donation, every share, every message and every act of kindness.

Finally, THANK YOU again to all the people who went into the mountains on Sunday and gave an extraordinary amount of themselves to bring Jacob home. What you did for him and the family will never be forgotten.