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Lifestyle & Human Interest

Hiker Texts Mother for Help Then Goes Missing for 6 Days in Woods Before Being Found

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Missing hiker Joshua McClatchy, 38, was found alive one week after he vanished while hiking alone in the Caney Creek Wilderness area in Arkansas.

McClatchy, from Fort Worth, Texas, had planned the hiking trip to celebrate his upcoming 38th birthday. On June 1, he sent a series of text messages to his mom, updating her with photos of the breathtaking landscape.

But later that same afternoon, McClatchy’s mother received additional text messages from her son, telling her that he was in trouble.



“Hey mom, I need your help. Remain calm and we’ll get through this,” McClatchy wrote, according to “Good Morning America.”

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“I’m dehydrated and getting low on water. I have bad reception and can’t make calls.”

McClatchy attempted to give her a rough location of his whereabouts, and then, the messages stopped coming.

He spent his 38th birthday alone in the wilderness, his family and friends worried about his condition.

Search and rescue teams began to scour the area where they suspected McClatchy might be. Among the searchers was John Obeidin, McClatchy’s roommate and longtime friend, who said he would not rest until his friend was found.

Miranda Balduf, McClatchy’s sister, flew in from out of state to look for her brother.

To everyone’s relief, McClatchy was found on June 7 in a densely wooded area off the trail. He was dehydrated but alive.

“By the time he saw us, he thought his rescuers were angels,” Obeidin told “Good Morning America.”

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Search and rescue crews in a National Guard helicopter used infrared technology to locate McClatchy, according to Polk County Sheriff Scott Sawyer.

It took rescuers four hours to carry McClatchy out of the rugged, mountainous terrain.

McClatchy was taken to Mena Regional Health System in Mena, Arkansas, where he was met by his very relieved parents and sister.

“’We have him.’ These are the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard spoken,” Balduf wrote on a Facebook update on June 8.

“First, we give glory to God for his survival. My brother has quite a testimony to share, but please be patient,” she continued.

“I wish I could name every single one of the men and women that were involved in the search for the past 7 days. This terrain is unforgiving, and you all were RELENTLESS in your efforts.”

Balduf thanked everyone involved for their continued hope and effort to bring her brother home.

“Josh is doing beautifully,” she wrote. “He just closed his eyes, and will FINALLY rest.”

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A graduate of Grand Canyon University, Kim Davis has been writing for The Western Journal since 2015, focusing on lifestyle stories.
Kim Davis began writing for The Western Journal in 2015. Her primary topics cover family, faith, and women. She has experience as a copy editor for the online publication Thoughtful Women. Kim worked as an arts administrator for The Phoenix Symphony, writing music education curriculum and leading community engagement programs throughout the region. She holds a degree in music education from Grand Canyon University with a minor in eating tacos.
Birthplace
Page, Arizona
Education
Bachelor of Science in Music Education
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Lifestyle & Human Interest




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