A 76-year-old Vietnam war veteran has described himself as a living “miracle” after being rescued by his own son following four days lost in Arizona’s rugged backcountry. Mark Young went missing on 16 April after setting out on a solo hiking and camping trip near Verde Valley, Yavapai County, ahead of a wedding he planned to attend.
Young became disoriented when his GPS lost signal, and failed to appear for dinner the following evening. His family reported him missing, and search crews began scouring the area. They found his rented car on a remote road on 18 April, but Young was not there, and many of his belongings, including his sleeping bag, had been left in the vehicle.
Drawing on survival training from his military service, Young used a compass, canteens, water purification pills and lighters. He battled dehydration, killed a rattlesnake, and tried unsuccessfully to start a fire. He sought shade under a cedar tree, sleeping and keeping as cool as possible. Meanwhile, searchers faced a mountain lion, a black bear and difficult terrain.
On 20 April, searchers heard faint yells for help but could not pinpoint their source. Young heard voices he initially thought were recreational hikers, until a voice shouted “Dad”. He recognised his son Josh, and the pair “hugged and wept” after Young did a double take to ensure he was not hallucinating.
Josh used a satellite phone to send an “incredible text message” informing searchers he had found his father about six miles from the rented car. A sheriff’s helicopter hoisted Young from the canyon floor and airlifted him to a hospital near Phoenix. He was dehydrated and had some physical injuries but was otherwise in good shape, according to his daughter Lydia.
Young expressed inexpressible gratitude, saying: “Your faith and your hard work will be remembered as long as I live.” The Yavapai sheriff’s office released a statement from Josh thanking search crews for not giving up, adding: “My dad’s life was worth saving.”
