 Even after a punishment , several orders , and a " heart @-@ to @-@ heart talk " with Homer , Bart still goes to the gorge and tries to jump it . He is stopped at the last second by Homer , who decides to jump the gorge himself to show Bart what it is like to see a family member needlessly risk their life for no good reason . Bart , not wanting to see his father injured on his account , promises to never jump the gorge and never try to be a daredevil again . However , when Homer goes to hug Bart to make up their misunderstanding , the board rolls down a hill and flies over the gorge , with Homer on board . Although it briefly appears as though Homer will make it safely across , he loses momentum near the middle and plummets to the bottom , progressively becoming severely injured with each fall towards the jagged rocks , and receiving multiple fractures and wounds . A helicopter winches Homer out , slamming his head against the side of the gorge several times in the process before he is loaded into a waiting ambulance , which immediately crashes into a tree as it starts to leave for the hospital . The gurney carrying Homer rolls out of the back , and Homer once again falls to the floor of the canyon . Having arrived at the hospital he is put in the same ward next to Lance Murdock , where he tells him , " You think you 've got guts ? Try raising my kids ! " 
