The 14-year-old boy who was rescued from the backcountry of Idaho after getting lost overnight is speaking out about his experience.
Mason Archibald was snowmobiling with his dad and family friends on Saturday, Feb. 8, when he got separated from the group, according to CBS affiliate KUTV.
Search and rescue teams spent nearly 24 hours searching for the missing snowmobiler before he was found safe on Sunday, Feb. 9, according to a statement shared on Facebook by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Mason, an 8th grader at Bear River Middle School in Garland, Utah, said he realized he was lost after spending a few minutes alone.
“I was like, ‘oh shoot,’ and I started freaking out,” the teen recalled, noting that he “cried and prayed a whole bunch” before regaining his composure.
Then, Mason got back on his sled and “drove around,” hoping the group was still nearby. His sled nearly tipped over after he stopped on a steep hill, but he managed to keep it upright.
Mason was also battling the elements. Temperatures were reportedly as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit, and authorities said a storm dropped 10 to 12 inches of new snow the night Mason was missing.
Eventually, Mason said he made himself a space to lay down and rest. “I tossed and turned and kicked my feet to keep the blood flowing ‘cause I’m thinking, ‘I ain’t getting frostbite, dude I’ve got to play baseball.’ ” he remembered. “I said a bunch of prayers too.”
Crews were receiving pings from Mason’s cell phone, which eventually died due to the cold, according to KUTV. The last update was around 6 a.m. local time on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Mason’s parents were worried about their son. His mom Mindi said, “It just got scarier and scarier” as the hours ticked by. Eventually, she began asking online for volunteers to help search for her son.
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By mid-morning on Sunday, a volunteer found Mason in White Canyon. The teen remembered waking up to the sound of a snowmobile and yelling “help” as the sound grew nearer.
Mindi said Mason was missing for 21 hours total. She opted to have her son sent to a local hospital, though EMTs who assessed Mason on-site determined that the visit was not necessary.
Mason reunited with his parents at the hospital. Doctors there were surprised that Mason did not have frostbite.
“All we could think of was to ask people for prayers, and saw so many come together and pray and search for our son,” Mindi told KUTV. “We are so grateful.”
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