Hiker Hears Faint Voice Crying Out For Help — Rescues Man Missing For Two Weeks

Sep 09, 2020 by apost team

Last month, a man and his two children rescued a hiker who was stranded in a New Mexico forest for 14 days. John Utsey was on a hike with his kids in the Santa Fe National Forest when they encountered the unidentified hiker.

It is always recommended to do certain wilderness activities in a group. Hiking or walking on a trail can become frightening very fast if you are unaccompanied by a friend.

When faced with a similar situation, one man acted so bravely that his quick actions saved someone's life. Again, it is never recommended to go hiking by yourself.

The story began in the middle of August when John Utsey and his family were hiking in the nature trails of Santa Fe. John told KRQE News that his daughter went ahead of the group and was out of sight for a few minutes and thus, John called out to her. The group was surprised to hear not only his daughter call back but also another voice.

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The group spent their time trying to determine where the second voice was coming from. They eventually stumbled across a man lying in the woods just waiting for help to come. John claimed that he could tell that this man was in trouble without even checking. The man's lips were chapped to the point of having blisters, and he was extremely skinny.

John's group rushed back in the trail to find help. While waiting for help from first responders, they learned a bit more about the man they had found in the woods. He had been hiking on the trail when he was unable to move any further because of his back problems. He had been in the woods 14 days, surviving on just filtered water from a stream.

Although John gave the first responders directions on how to find the man, the rescue teams were unsuccessful in locating him. They eventually stopped the search, and John, who had hiked back with his group as they had no way of safely transporting the injured man, realized that the unfortunate man's life was left in his hands.

He prepared for a long hike and then set out again the following day to find the injured man. He called 911 and waited for the rescue teams to arrive. He then led them directly to the hiker he had found previously. The man was eventually found in a near-death state.

According to a Facebook post by Santa Fe Fire Department, he was frostbitten due to the harsh, cold temperatures in Santa Fe and could not be moved at first. The rescue teams had to warm him by fire before he could be safely transported to a hospital. They then wrapped him in protective blankets and climbed back up the trail. He is now on the right path to recovery and doing well.

Thankfully, the rescue teams made it to the scene right on time. If it was not for the efforts of John Utsey, who knows what would have happened to the poor hiker. Sometimes, all it takes to be a hero is being in the right place at the perfect time.

What makes it even more special is that he decided to go back and lead the second search himself. Despite the fact that the first emergency responders had given up on the injured hiker, John refused to call it quits and give up on the man. This simple act of kindness and determination made a huge difference in one hiker's life.

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