Andrew "Andy" Paul Ferrarone, 33, died three days after falling about 20 feet at Castle Rock Trail on July 12. His wife, Nina — eight weeks pregnant — performed nearly 30 minutes of CPR before he was airlifted to a trauma center and later placed on life support. Ferrarone, an experienced climber and co-owner of Sierra Space Agency, never regained consciousness. A GoFundMe to help with medical bills, rent and baby supplies had raised over $57,000 as of July 29.
San Diego Engineer Dies After 20-Foot Fall at Castle Rock Trail — Pregnant Wife Performed 30 Minutes of CPR
Nina & Andrew "Andy" Paul Ferrarone
Andrew "Andy" Paul Ferrarone, a 33-year-old software engineer from San Diego, died three days after a roughly 20-foot fall while rock climbing in the San Bernardino Mountains. The accident occurred on July 12 at about 5:30 p.m. in the Castle Rock Trail area.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Ferrarone fell down a rocky slope and suffered head trauma. Rescue teams administered CPR on site before he was airlifted by helicopter to a trauma center, where he was placed on life support. He died three days later, the sheriff's department and coroner's office said.
What Happened
Friends and family said Ferrarone — who lived in the North Park neighborhood and had more than a decade of climbing experience — had just completed one climb and was preparing for another when he fell from a ledge. His wife, Nina, who was standing below, attempted to save him and performed chest compressions for nearly 30 minutes until emergency responders arrived.
'He fell at his wife's feet,' said his father, Paul Ferrarone, describing the scene.
Ferrarone never regained consciousness after the fall. He worked as a software engineer and co-owned a small firm called Sierra Space Agency, according to reporting by Fox 11 Los Angeles and the family's obituary.
Family And Aftermath
Born and raised in Georgia, Ferrarone moved to San Francisco in his 20s before settling in San Diego. He and his wife, Nina, were expecting their first child; she was eight weeks pregnant at the time of the accident. Nina, a flight attendant trained in CPR, has since been preparing for parenthood while managing the family's immediate needs.
A GoFundMe campaign set up to help with medical bills incurred while Ferrarone was on life support, the couple's San Diego rent, and supplies for the baby's first year had raised more than $57,000 as of July 29. The family has asked for privacy as they grieve and make arrangements.
Note: Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the fall. No additional details on cause were released at the time of reporting.
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