A motorcycle crash victim who is still alive, albeit in “bad shape”, after being stranded in the Idaho Mountains for five days has told authorities about the incredible way he managed to survive.
In a Facebook post from the Idaho County Sheriff's Office (ICSD), it was confirmed that 24-year-old Zachary DeMoss was rescued by authorities on August 16 after being reported missing on August 12.
DeMoss was last seen riding a 2000 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle at milepost 135 of Highway 12. At around 4:30 p.m. on August 11, two of DeMoss' friends arrived at the milepost where they were supposed to meet him. When DeMoss did not show up, they frantically searched the area for about 12 hours before closing their operation around 4 a.m. the next day.
Several hours later, ICSD took over the search using drones and a helicopter. DeMoss was found near his bike on August 16, a few days after the search efforts were scaled back. Despite being badly injured, DeMoss was “awake and conscious” enough to share with investigators how he had managed to survive in the wilderness for five days.
The ICSD statement only included the statement “He was drinking water from the stream.”
Although reports vary on how long people can survive on water alone, Health Line “Survival with just water but no food can last up to two to three months,” he says. Outdoor Life says that on average, humans can survive three to four weeks without food in a survival scenario.
DeMoss “was strong enough to hang on for five days on that mountain, even though he saw people trying to scream as they passed him,” a family friend told KTVB.
“My son is one of those men of true courage,” DeMoss' mother, Ruth Rickenbacher, wrote on Facebook, but she explained that her son still has a long road to recovery.
“It's like he was shaken like a rag doll,” she said, noting that he suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung and may need surgery on one of his shoulders. “The rehab is going to be long term for now. He's getting better, so keep praying that it works.”