US

Autistic Man Found in Desert After Being Lost 3 Weeks

Autistic Man Survived at Least Three Weeks Wandering in Utah Desert Living Off of Frogs and Roots

Escalante Desert in Utah (Photo: Flickr/Micah and Erin)

DENVER (The Blaze/AP) — After wandering for at least three weeks, lost in a remote area of the desert in southern Utah, the only way authorities could describe the 28-year-old autistic man from Colorado when found was emaciated but alive. How did he make it? Living off frogs and roots he found in the Escalante Desert.

William Martin LaFever of Colorado Springs, Colo., told rescuers that in addition to the bits of food he scavenged, he drank water from the Escalante River while attempting to walk from Boulder, Utah, to Page, Ariz., a distance of approximately 90 miles or more by the route he appeared to be taking.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Department estimated he had traveled about 40 miles before he was found.

“It is some of the most rugged, unforgiving terrain you will find anywhere on Earth, jagged cliffs, stone ledges, sandstone, sagebrush, juniper,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Becki Bronson said in a telephone interview.

“Where William was hiking, there just isn’t anyone out there,” she said. “There are no people. There are no towns.”

The sheriff’s department said it was remarkable that searchers aboard a helicopter were able to find LaFever at all, much less alive.

Deputy Ray Gardner, who had recently completed training in search and rescue operations for people with autism and was aboard the helicopter, said LaFever would not have survived another 24 hours.

The helicopter took LaFever to Garfield Memorial Hospital in Panguitch. The hospital said it could not release any information on his condition.

LaFever was trying to get to Page because his father, John LaFever of Colorado Springs, told him he would wire money to him in there, the sheriff’s department said in a written release.

William LaFever had called his father on June 6 or 7 to say he was hiking in the Boulder area with his dog, and that someone had stolen some of his hiking gear and he had run out of money. John LaFever told his son to catch a ride to Page to collect the money.

Unbeknownst to his father, William LaFever apparently decided to hike down the Escalante River and then hitch a boat ride along Lake Powell to Page, rather than try to catch a ride, the sheriff’s department said.

LaFever set out along the river but ran out of food. His dog left him, and LaFever began abandoning his gear until all he had was the clothing and shoes he was wearing when he was found, the sheriff’s department said.

The dog hasn’t been seen since. Authorities do not know why the dog ran off, Bronson said.

The early June phone call was the last time the family heard from LaFever, and his sister reported him missing on Monday, the sheriff’s department said.

A telephone message left at the LaFevers‘ home in Colorado Springs wasn’t immediately returned.

Gardner’s training in searching for people with autism taught him they are naturally drawn to water, so the helicopter search focused on the Escalante River, the department said.

The helicopter team spotted LaFever Thursday afternoon, sitting in the Escalante River about five miles from Lake Powell, weakly waving at the aircraft.

Gardner was dumbfounded when LaFever identified himself because of the long odds of finding anyone in that country, the sheriff’s department said.

“In all my career I have never seen someone so emaciated,” Gardner was quoted as saying in the sheriff’s department release. “I could not believe that he was alive, and feel certain that in another 24 hours he would not have been alive.”

Gardner didn’t immediately return a phone message late Thursday.

LaFever was so weak that he couldn’t stand, but he was so eager for human contact that at first he would not stop talking long enough to eat or drink anything, the sheriff’s department said. He eventually took a drink and ate a granola bar.

Comments (52)

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  • GERATMO
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 4:01pm

    I lived 2 hours from Escalante and used to hike this area quite often. It is a harsh environment but has a few rivers with ice cold spring water you can drink without purifying it first. I was at Calf Creek falls in Escalante on a 105 degree day and we all drank strait out of the creek. This time of year, the temp is over 100 almost every day and you could get lost very easily if you stray away from the river canyons. Im glad he made it.

    Report Post » GERATMO  
  • AmazingGrace8
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:23pm

    We will probably see a re-enactment of this on a program of “I shouldn’t Be Alive”. Hmmm it is always a miracle when there seems to be no hope and then……………….
    And the beat goes on!
    God Bless America!…… I Stand With Israel!

    Report Post »  
  • lylejk
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:02pm

    Wow; very cool story. Eat your heart out Surviver Man. God speed to your recovery Mr. LaFever. :)

    Report Post » lylejk  
  • cranberry
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:42pm

    I’m so glad he made it.

    Report Post » cranberry  
    • wdittgasn
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:53pm

      I know why the dog left….. The man got hungry and the dog knew it…… I wonder if the fact that he was autistic helped to save his life?

      Report Post » wdittgasn  
  • MeteoricLimbo
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 1:23pm

    Impressive in this day and age to say the least.

    Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
  • Mr. H.
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:53pm

    That is an amazing story. He obviously had some training for survival in the desert, but even so, survival without support in the desert is amazing.

    Report Post »  
  • Rosalyn
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:37pm

    As a mother of an autistic teen I thought of my son as I read this story. It’s a fine line between giving them freedom and keeping a close eye on them. So glad this man was found alive.

    Report Post »  
  • keywest62
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:23pm

    If I had a son he would look just like William Martin LaFever.

    Report Post » keywest62  
  • RamonPreston
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:06pm

    Kudos to William. I doubt if I could have done it and I have an IQ of 140.

    Report Post » RamonPreston  
    • Steven_Swenson
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:54am

      Autistic is not the same as Stupid or even retarded. Its an interfacing disorder rather than intelligence deficit.

      Report Post »  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:04pm

    Eating Frogs???

    Report Post »  
    • RamonPreston
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:11pm

      Ever hear of “frogs’ legs?”

      Report Post » RamonPreston  
    • THX-1138
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:20pm

      I’ve done 21 day, water only fasts (fatal in a desert, not so bad behind a desk punching buttons) and I can imagine a frog would pretty dang good after a week or so without food. Bugs might be harder to get down…

      Report Post » THX-1138  
    • wdittgasn
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:19pm

      THX really 21 says, wow, I have fasted before but nothing like 21 days, any who have not should try it…. Combined with real Bible study and prayer you get a PEACE and SERENITY that cannot be had in any other way….. Better than Valium.

      Report Post » wdittgasn  
  • shakedowncrews
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:51am

    Austism doesn’t mean stupid. He did make a dangerous calculation, but in theend, he demonstrated some excellent common sense by staying near the river where he could get water and find food. Cody Lundin would be proud. This guy survived under conditions that would kill the vast majority of “normal” people.
    As for the dog…I have no doubt hunger drove it to search for food or help, and it might have been bitten by a rattle snake or killed by coyotes.

    Report Post » shakedowncrews  
  • HTuttle
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:44am

    Actually it was 3 weeks, two days, 4 hours, 7 minutes and 36 seconds. Approximately.

    Report Post »  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:23am

    A Liberal will call Jesus [ a Conservative ]; a Conservative will call Jesus [ a Liberal ]; an evil person will call Jesus [ the devil ]; a Lively person won’t call Jesus at all.

    Report Post »  
  • Dismayed Veteran
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:21am

    Gardner’s training in searching for people with autism taught him they are naturally drawn to water, so the helicopter search focused on the Escalante River, the department said.

    If you have ever hiked in the Utah desert, you will find that EVERYONE is drawn to water.

    Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:49am

      Yeah, kind of like in Acts – Philip attached himself to the Eunuch’s chariot and brought the Eunuch to a great amount of water.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:50am

      And like that it is as lightning strikes in the east it reflects in the west.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:53am

      How can people not understand the Bible except that they don’t want to? Because you live it every moment of your life.

      Report Post »  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:20am

    A Liberal will call Jesus Christ [ a Conservative ]; a Conservative will call Jesus Christ [ a Liberal ].

    Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:26am

      Therefore it was that Jesus seldom opened his mouth to speak.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:31am

      Many different sides of the equation of life absorb different amounts of the rainbow of life. Therefore people are like a gas – a waters – absorbing different amounts of energy. Moreover when the Lord speaks it impacts people differently, and therefore it has come to be written ‘Woe to those who say the Lord will not do good, and neither will he do evil.’ Because there is no men who are righteous, and the word of the Lord will cause one man to do one thing, and another man something else different.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:41am

      Therefore Jesus couldn‘t open his mouth without killing the spirit’s of a multitude.

      Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:50am

      Tim! You changed your username. They banned you, huh?
      You keep posting to yourself like this, which is what you did before and you will get banned again.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:57am

      Anonymous T. Irrelevant,
      Yeah I know – that’s what the beast does. In that the evil will call Jesus the devil, and the beast will call Jesus a loony.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:00pm

      Anonymous T. Irrelevant,
      Like I said implicitly, a man who is truly of Jesus, is a man with no nation, but only a father.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:03pm

      Anonymous T. Irrelevant,
      So tell me: are you of the devil or are you just another beast? …………….I know the answer.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:15pm

      I‘m just dropping in one last time to tell you that you’re getting caught amongst the stumbling blocks of worrying about the things which were and worrying about changes to come. And to tell you that the mothers, brothers, and sisters are all those who do the work of the Lord. Which means that after all these things to come, everyone will be like me, and people like you won’t exist anymore – which will make the people of the future all mothers, brothers, and sisters in God.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:20pm

      You called it Anon! That is Just Tim, isn’t it?

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:18am

    The dog ran away. Some man’s best friend….haha. A dog is a fair weather friend.

    Report Post »  
    • RamonPreston
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:16pm

      The dog is probably dead. When dogs’ know they are going to die, they wander off by themselves and find a nice quiet place. My wife’s cats have done it, too. Never to be seen again….

      Report Post » RamonPreston  
  • cemerius
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:08am

    Nice to read about a rescue story ending with survival!! The man may be autistic but he survived where I can bet a lot of Obama supporters would have failed the first hour……:)

    Report Post » cemerius  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:54pm

      not sure they would know what to do without starbucks a gps and a prius. oh well the libs aren’t my concern. God bless all of the rescue folks an prayers for a speedy recovery for this young man

      Report Post »  
  • Armyduderetired
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:05am

    Maybe they should Check the dog carrier on top of his car.

    Report Post »  
  • scuba13
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:43am

    Where was Obama at the time the dog disappeared?

    Report Post » scuba13  
  • huey6367
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:38am

    I have been to that area of south Utah. Beautiful country but it will kill you if you are not careful. The rattlesnakes, the heat, the lack of water, the lack of shade – it is not a good place to unprepared for. He is lucky as can be. When you die out there, you are rarely found.

    The dog? Dog jerky at this point. You dry out real fast in a nearly zero humidity environment. And he probably ran off to try and save himself.

    Report Post »  
  • rpp
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:27am

    I think of my son, also autistic, when read this. Thank God he is alive. However, I wonder how autitic he really is if his family is comfortable with the general instructions given him as well as hiking and camping alone.

    Report Post » rpp  
    • Abigail Adams
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:08am

      I know! My son has Aspergers & I can’t imagine giving him such vague instructions. And they didn’t report him missing until just this Monday? That man really is lucky to be alive.

      Report Post » Abigail Adams  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:27am

    “ authorities did know why his dog ran off ” I can think of a few good reasons….

    Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:26am

    …
    Dogs do not abandon the person they love.
    Maybe the guy ate him.

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:20am

    “Authorities do not know why the dog ran off” Even rats will leave a sinking ship. Hope the pooch made it.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • 00gabooga
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 10:17am

    Ask how many grains of sand there are in the desert. I bet he knows.

    Report Post » 00gabooga  
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