The story of Willmam LaFever is one of survival. The 28-year-old from Coloroado found himself lost in the Escalante Desert of southern Utah for two to three weeks.
LaFever, who is autistic, was attempting to walk from Boulder, Utah, to Page, Ariz.– a 90 mile trek.
What sent LaFever on this trek through no man’s land was a call from his father.
According to the report, William LaFever 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 and he’d give him the money.
William decided to hike instead of catching a ride. Eventually he ran out of food and his dog ran away. In survival mode, William began abandoning his hiking gear as he went on.
LaFever was too weak to stand when rescuers found him, but was so glad to have human contact the he couldn’t stop talking, rescuers said.
Authorities say he lived off of frogs he caught and water from the Escalante River. When he was found, the man was severely emaciated. Rescuers said he probably wouldn’t have lasted another 24 hours in the desert.
