Ron Dailey’s planned half-day hunting trip turned into a harrowing three-week ordeal after a wrong turn, a severe snowstorm, and a broken-down truck left him stranded in the Sierra National Forest.
Dailey, 65, set out on October 13 for a solo hunt in central California near Fresno, according to KCBS-TV. However, an incorrect route led him deep into the wilderness, where he realized he was lost. “I went down this hill. I’m going, ‘Oh, God, this ain’t good,’” Dailey recalled. He attempted to retrace his steps but found himself trapped.
That evening, a storm buried his truck under two feet of snow, worsening his situation. His family grew concerned when he failed to return and alerted the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, triggering an extensive search spanning multiple counties. Rescue teams scoured rugged terrain for weeks.
Dailey’s supplies dwindled as he rationed 14 bottles of water and approximately 900 calories of food. “I didn’t know if rescue was gonna come,” he told KCBS-TV, adding that “nobody really knew where I was.” Yet, he credited his faith with sustaining him. “It was me and God every night,” he said, describing how prayer helped him endure the darkest moments.
On Saturday morning, Dailey claimed he received a divine prompting to leave his truck. He walked 10 to 12 miles through the snow, stopping frequently due to altitude and falling multiple times, losing his phone in the process. Eventually, rescuers found him.
Dailey attributed his survival to “the Christian community” and divine intervention. “They wouldn’t let me die. Neither would God,” he said.
