A 19-year-old Vietnamese student has become a viral sensation after surviving nearly two days alone in a remote mountain by snacking on a box of the popular sweet treat Choco Pies. Nguyen Tuan Anh, a student at Dai Nam University, had set out on 19 April with friends for a hike up Tam Dao mountain, about 70km north of Hanoi.
The Hike and Separation
The group of 10, accompanied by a guide, reached the summit early in the afternoon after a seven-hour climb and began their descent shortly after. Mr Anh, who had limited hiking experience, became exhausted in the heat and got separated from the group after stopping to rest. Believing there would be only one path down, he soon found himself lost as the trail seemed to disappear and his phone lost signal, Vietnamese outlet VnExpress reported.
The Ordeal
What followed was a disorienting ordeal in one of the region's more treacherous landscapes. Tam Dao is known for its rugged terrain, dense forests, and rapidly changing weather, with year-round thick fog often reducing visibility. Mr Anh continued trying to find his way until evening, but as night fell, the fog thickened and darkness quickly set in. He eventually took shelter in a rocky crevice beside a stream.
He carefully rationed the only food he had with him – the popular South Korean snack Orion Choco Pies which are often gifted during the Lunar New Year – and drank water from the stream to stay hydrated.
Search and Rescue
Back in the village, his companions reported him missing to the police at around 6pm after realising he had not yet returned, triggering a large-scale search. Hundreds of officers, soldiers and rescue teams frantically searched for him for two days. Mr Anh was found at 7.15am on 21 April after rescuers called out his name and finally received a response. He was exhausted but in stable condition. Interestingly, he was still left with four packets of Choco Pies in his backpack.
Viral Reaction
Images from the rescue showed his mother in tears of relief as he was brought down the mountain by emergency personnel. The unusual detail of his survival quickly drew attention online, with many users joking about Choco Pies as an unlikely survival essential. "The secret to survival, Choco Pie," a user said. The attention prompted Orion to visit Mr Anh and gift him six boxes of snacks.
