89-year-old American found alive after 10 days in wilderness
Bing Olbum can safely be called a hero, or even an icon of the wilderness. After all, this gritty 89-year-old American survived 10 days in the American wilderness after getting lost. In fact, when he was recovered, he was still in good health.
This octogenarian is clearly an experienced hiker with great knowledge of nature. And that experience came in handy when he left on Aug. 1 with a backpack weighing some 8.5 pounds for a mountain hike in Idaho's vast Salmon-Challis National Forest. A particularly rugged and inhospitable area of the US.
The trek Bing had planned would take 5 days anyway. But when this active octogenarian did not return, his family contacted the emergency services. Major searches were launched and the man was found only after 10 days.
Finally, it was some citizens, who were on horseback helping to search for the octogenarian, who provided the salvation. They suddenly, a little after midnight on Saturday, Aug. 11, stumbled upon the camp the missing American had set up. "They found him halfway down a path somewhere on the side, on a sleeping bag," daughter Jennifer tells CNN. "He was awakened by their head lamps. On a spare horse, they brought him down."
And Bing, surprisingly, was still in good health. He was only slightly dehydrated. His survival skills are downright impressive!
(FVDV for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Marita Kavelashvili for Unsplash)
