Kristen was on a Gran Canyon river trip when, on the evening of day two, a torrential monsoon storm hit the camp. The severe rain quickly turned into golf ball-sized hail, and as water began pouring down the cliff, the group decided to leave the camp and get onto the boats. Rocks began falling from above, and a massive firehose waterfall rained down on the camp. After Kristen helped load the group onto the motorboat, she moved to the back of the boat and was suddenly crushed by a two-foot-square boulder, pinning her between the side tube and main tube of the boat. With her feet in the water, the rivers current nearly pulled her under before her husband managed to pull her onto the boat.