For a parent, there is no greater fear than having a child go missing. Yes, it’s horrible when a son or daughter dies but not knowing the whereabouts of a child causes even more pain. Moms and dads don’t know if their baby is safe, hurt, hungry, or scared. When something like this happens, parents often think the worst.
A missing 9-year-old
For one family from Idaho, their worst nightmare became a reality when they couldn’t find their 9-year-old son. According to the police, Stratton Joshua Wright had gone hiking in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest along with members of his family.
Keeping a watchful eye
Even with responsible adults along to keep a close eye on their Stratton, he somehow became separated from them. They only spent a short amount of time trying to find the boy before calling 911 at 9:45 p.m. for help.
Well equipped
Fortunately, Summit County’s sheriff’s department had everything needed for a situation like this. Along with high-trained staff members, they had GPS devices and even helicopters at their disposal. Banding together, they were determined to find the boy safe.
Dad gets involved
Sheriff Justin Martinez explained,
“When dad found that he was missing he came in from Idaho last night. He arrived at the command post at about 3:00 a.m., checked in with the search and rescue command, and then made a 5-mile trek to where they were camping and started his own search.”
Sheer determination
Even with all the latest high-tech equipment on hand, it wasn’t the sheriff’s department or the members of the search and rescue crew who found Stratton. It all came down to the determination of this boy’s dad. No matter what, he was going to bring his son home safe and sound.
No time to waste
Remember, this dad had been driving for quite a while. Without sleep or waiting for things to get more organized, he started to search. After all, this was his son and he couldn’t wait a single minute.
Following instinct
Searching completely by himself, this father seemed to have an uncanny sense of where to look. Following his intuition, he headed deeper into the forest. And before long, he saw him…his son. Considering the vast space, this was truly a miracle.
He’s safe
During a press conference, Sheriff Martinez stated that once the two of them saw each other, Stratton ran toward his dad. While no one got to witness the reunion, they all imagined it was beyond fantastic. Just as promised, this boy’s dad brought him home…safe and sound.
The most beautiful sight ever
The best part of the day came when this dad walked out of the forest with his son by his side. They were then greeted by one of the rescuers who’d come to assist. All three of them soon joined the others. Everyone was cheering and crying tears of happiness.
One smart boy
Once they were at the sheriff’s office, Stratton told the officers he knew he was lost. Sheriff Martinez also shared that the boy realized it was getting late and wanting to save as much energy as possible, he decided to take a nap. That decision, rather than trying his way out of the forest on his own, likely played a big role in this boy being found alive.
When dawn broke and his father showed up, staying put made him easier to find. Had this 9-year-old continued walking, he would’ve ended up further and further away from help. But it was also the strong bond shared with his dad that made all the difference.
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