He Texted His Wife Saying He Was Lost In The Woods And 2 Days Later This 71-Year-Old Man Was Rescued
71-year-old Joseph Dean lives in Portland, Oregon, along with his wife. Recently, Joseph had planned on hiking the 12-mile long loop of Horsetail Falls in Portland.
So, he set out on his hike, and last Saturday, he got lost while he was out in the woods.
“On Saturday afternoon, Dean sent a text message to his wife stating he was lost. He was reported missing at around 8:33 p.m. Saturday,” the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
“Based on his age and location, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) activated MCSO Search and Rescue.”
“By 11 p.m., a hasty team of 16 searchers headed out on the trail to begin searching for Dean.”
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office; pictured above is Joseph
Approximately 65 search and rescue people started looking for Joseph along the trail that he had taken.
Airplanes and drones were brought out to help look for him from above.
“Using cell phone data, searchers were able to identify a general search area,” the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office explained.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office; pictured above rescuers help bring Joseph down Horsetail Falls
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“Based on this data, and statements made by family and friends, SAR members believed Dean was alive and mobile,” the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office continued.
“Despite treacherous trail conditions, SAR members forged ahead and continued their search efforts. On Monday morning, a team located Dean near the Horsetail Creek trail.”
After being lost for 2 days, Joseph was finally found.
The trail he had taken was destroyed in a fire that swept through the area in 2017, making it hard for Joseph to see where he was really going. Those trails had also been closed after the fire happened.
Although Dean didn’t have any overnight camping gear with him, he did have a balaclava, jacket, and thermal leggings.
He was able to survive by rationing the snacks he had brought with him.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office; pictured above rescuers get Joseph to safety so he can be reunited with his family
More About:Human Interest
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