A Warsaw teen is lucky to be alive after a tree stand accident late Saturday morning left him stuck upside down for half an hour.
It happened around 10:45 a.m. at the Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area in Kosciusko County.
DNR officials say 15-year-old Clarence "Daven" Gasaway was hunting deer with a friend when part of his tree stand broke.
The teen was thrown backwards and found himself hanging upside down, 24 feet off the ground, with his feet and lower legs still attached to the platform of the stand.
He was not wearing a safety restraint harness of any kind.
Another deer hunter nearby saw the commotion and called for help. Thirty minutes later, rescue crews were able to get the teen to the ground safely.
Gasaway was sent to the hospital where he was treated for a leg and ankle sprain before being released.
