I go after him. “Dan, let’s go sit back down and get you some water, OK?” He looks at me with a weird expression and his empty eyes, and I notice that he is holding a large branch behind his back. “Dan… what are you doing with that?” I’m a little nervous that he’s going to hit me. He seems startled that I noticed, and says “Nothing.” and throws it to the ground. “Come on, Dan. Let’s go sit down.”
“There is everything we need to survive right here in nature, Kelsey. Look around.” At this point Reuben is calling to me that the Search and Rescue people want some of Dan’s vitals. I check his pulse, measure his breathing, feel his forehead. I call back to Reuben the stats, and his vitals seem mostly alright.
“Don’t talk about people like they’re not even here!” He yells at me. I apologize and tell him that I’m just trying to make sure he’s safe. I ask him again to come back to the trail with me. “They lied, ” he says, “they aren’t coming.” He is looking around frantically.
“Who?” He just points to the ridge he mentioned earlier. “Dan, please. Come sit down with me.”
“I’m not four!” He yells and stumbles into a tree. I do my best to catch him and hold him up. He’s a lot bigger than me. He keeps mumbling about how they lied, and trying to wander on legs that don’t work.
“Please, Dan. Please come back with me?”
He puts his hands on my shoulders and studies my face. “You have beautiful eyes.” Thanks. He lets me lead him back to the trail.
I get him settled and get him to drink some more. He starts to cry again, but I calm him down. I tell Reuben that I need to call my mom and let her know what’s going on. (I feel I should mention here that Reuben had been in contact with Dan’s family, so they knew roughly what was happening.) I walk away about twenty feet, but stay close. I let my mom know the gist of what’s happening, and ask about my son to make sure he’s having a good day with her. I promise to call her later. I walk back towards the boys and Dan’s eyes lock on mine again. The look in his eyes while he was out of it was extremely unsettling. He points at me, “You. I knew you would come.”
“Dan, I’ve been here the whole time.” He just keeps pointing. I finally grab his finger and say, “Why are you pointing at me?” He gets a surprised look on his face and gasps. He starts giggling.
Reuben asks, “What was that?”
Dan says, “It was magic, ” and keeps laughing.
Dan keeps talking about nature, and Noah. The people who are coming. He insists that we take a picture of the three of us, and keeps telling Reuben and I to go. He falls asleep, and Reuben and I decide that as long as he keeps breathing, it’s fine if he sleeps. He sleeps for a little while, and when he wakes up, he’s himself again. We all decide to get some rest. Reuben gives me a poncho to help keep the bugs off me, which I appreciate because I’m already freaking out enough. Dan keeps trying to apologize, but there is really no need. Reuben nods off, and we just kill some more time. Finally, Dan suggests that we take a picture of the sleeping Reuben and as I go for the camera, Reuben’s phone rings.
They’re close to our coordinates. Reuben hikes out to bring back the first of our many rescuers. I have never felt more relieved in my life. We made it to the top of that mountain at 2 PM. It’s now 7:30 PM. More rescuers come, and they take care of Dan. He gets an IV in each arm for fluids, some oxygen, the works. Reuben and I try to comfort Dan while he’s being cared for.
After Dan’s looking and feeling much better, the call is made that he’ll be leaving the mountain on a helicopter. His legs still won’t work. After some moving and coordinating, Dan was hoisted away at around 9 PM. Reuben and I began our descent of the steep devil in the dark. Thanks to a rescue horse named Leroy, who I got to ride most of the way down, we all made it through the night and back in one piece. After being on that mountain from 10 AM until 11 PM, I can’t even express how wonderful it was to be back in the parking lot and to know that Dan was going to be OK. That Dan Pearce certainly knows how to have an adventure.
Kelsey
PS. would love your comments. What is it like reading my story and then reading hers? There are obviously a few differences in how we experienced things and even some of the events. What would you have done if you were in Kelsey’s position?
I think Kelsey is a brave Rock of a FRIEND!! She obviously loves you and knows you well. It was a good thing she was there, and Reuben, too. Thank God for having the Right people in the Right place at the Right time!! The only thing I think I would have added is that I would have been praying to God the whole time, myself...cuz He's the One who always walks me through the difficult stuff and settles me down with Peace when a situation is potentially overwhelming. ♥
Next time I go hiking, I want Kelsey along!!! Scary. So glad you have such awesome friends!
I really liked having her addition to the story and DAN PEARCE you should send that woman some flowers, because if it weren't for her you could have walked off a cliff. Thanks to Kelsey for sharing her journal.
Wow. This is amazing and frightening. Y'all did such a great job getting through this ordeal. And thankfully Dan is okay. That had to have been terrifying.
As a former EMT, in Colorado, I have to say that Kelsey did a good job at staying calm. Thank goodness you had cell phones that got a signal to reach SAR. In the future, I would recommend water during the hiking and the Gatorade afterwards. That and maybe not hiking in such high heats! Please take care!
Wow ! Keep in mind your brain was low on water and over heated and that would cause your hallucinations. I don't think the lady in the woods was anything but a sign that your brain was being slowing cooked and drying out. I have had heat stroke and have been so sun burnt it was coincided to be secondary burns. I have learned to stay out of the sun and keep my activity low key when its very hot. I think you get a very clear look at how serious your situation was with Kelsey's story. I'm glad she shared it.
Wow - I can't imagine how scary it would be to see a good friend talking like you were talking. It sounds like you've got some good friends, Dan!!
You have the most amazing friends! Wow!!!! I hope that if I were ever in that situation, either in your place or in her's, that I would have such amazing people with me and be able to keep my cool. So glad everyone is okay.
Glad you and your friends made it down ok.... I tried to make it up to Mt Adams over here and discovered I get altitude sickness... I started bawling and hyperventilating halfway up the last stretch out of nowhere. It was my bodies way of sucking in the oxygen it was being deprived of... I had heard of and read about altitude sickness, but don't we all believe it won't happen to me? Crazy how our body's will do what they have to, to keep itself alive... The things we learn when living, huh? ;)
glad everyone got off the mountain and are doing better. Kind of scary about the women in the woods. Spooky.
Isn't it interesting to watch from the "real" side, when you know there is so much more going on with the woman in the woods than we can ever know. I've been lost on what turned into 12 hour hikes, with no cell phone reception at all. It changes your perception very quickly about life in general. So glad you had your friends, and search and rescue, and even the woman in the woods. :)
You probably kept him from going off with the "woman", good job Kelsey and Rueben. Good friends, keep them.
wow ...just..wow
I read someplace that if someone is in trouble physically, near death, and they start talking like you describe,...it you'd left so the women could come get Dan...she probably would have. So Kelsey probably saved Dan's life. I wondered in the story how 2 of 3 hikers were ok and Dan was so extremely not OK. Reading Dan's post about discovering an underlying medical condition that had gone unnoticed makes sense now. Better to have discovered that in the ER than in the morgue. I'm so glad you all made it out safely. Your 5 blogs so far have done a lot to educate people. You did a lot of things right, and a few things went wrong. Thanks for sharing.
I read someplace that if someone is in trouble physically, near death, and they start talking like you describe,...it you'd left so the women could come get Dan...she probably would have. So Kelsey probably saved Dan's life. I wondered in the story how 2 of 3 hikers were ok and Dan was so extremely not OK. Reading Dan's post about discovering an underlying medical condition that had gone unnoticed makes sense now. Better to have discovered that in the ER than in the morgue. I'm so glad you all made it out safely. Your 5 blogs so far have done a lot to educate people. You did a lot of things right, and a few things went wrong. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, What an adventure! I glad you are safe and sound and made it home to Noah! I have to ask one question though; did you really dream of a this "women" in the past? or was it all a hallucination?
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/dual-survival/videos http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/man-woman-wild/ for when you go and try again ... : )
I know this was a horrible and horrifying experience in the middle of it, but since everything turned out okay and no one has any lasting damage, I can't help but laugh.
Good grief! So glad it all worked out and that you have such wonderful friends who stick by your side during life's more hairy moments!
Wow. You were trippin' big time! Glad you're okay.