Man Miraculously Found Alive After 5 Days Alone by Wrecked Car with Punctured Lung and No Water
The human body is an amazing paradox. Sometimes it seems incredibly fragile, life fleeing at the least provocation.
Other times, it seems tough as iron, a hale and hardy machine. At least that’s how it appeared in the case of 32-year-old Jose Velazquez.
According to KTRK, Velazquez failed to turn up to work on June 26. The Houston, Texas, man had gone out for drinks with some friends the night before.
His fianceé, Chanel Nelson, had been there with him. However, it wasn’t until the following day that she heard from his family.
They couldn’t find him. Soon enough, an official search started in earnest.
One day rolled into the next and then the next — and then the next. You can imagine how their anxiety swelled, and uncertainty buffeted their spirits.
Then on June 30, the impossible happened. Volunteers were searching a stretch of woods near two highways.
Authorities had tried to triangulate his phone when he had gone missing and had settled on this particular area. But crews simply couldn’t locate any sign of Velazquez.
In fact, they were 10 minutes away from wrapping everything up — when they saw something. They saw a flash of white deep in the foliage.
It turned out to be the bumper of a car. Further, investigation revealed that it was a white Honda, the same make and model as Velazquez’s.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzWwvj_AGqR/
However, he wasn’t inside of it. During the wreck that had sent the car careening into the forest, Velazquez ended up thrown from it. He was able to slowly move back toward it and was found lying beside the driver-side door.
Amazingly, he had survived. After a traumatic injury that had broken his ribs and collapsed his lung, he’d made it through five days of exposure with only a bad case of dehydration to show for it.
“It’s a miracle he’s alive.”
José Valesquez was found in the woods, dehydrated and hurt, 5 days after he went missing. Incredible story. @txeqorg volunteers did not give up. #abc13 https://t.co/2F0vJn2ATa pic.twitter.com/9oR6fBBZAp
— Courtney Fischer (@CourtneyABC13) July 1, 2019
According to Newsweek, authorities were shocked that he’d made it. “Though he has multiple serious injuries, they are not thought to be life threatening, and it is thought that he will survive,” said Texas EquuSearch, which participated in the rescue.
“Jose was badly injured and trapped in the woods for five days without food or water. Thankfully, he has been found alive, and we hope he will now have the opportunity to live another day, and many more years.”
Velazquez is now recovering from his injuries in the hospital.
Texas EquuSearch’s founder Tim Miller added, “I don’t know how he [survived] the initial wreck, let alone as bad as he was injured five days later … to still be alive … that’s why we do what we do. We believe in miracles and here was one today.”
Velazquez was even able to talk after his ordeal. His request? Juice boxes and a meal from Sonic.
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