Boy was lost during a hike with grandma and siblings — a phone with 4 percent battery saved their life
Hikes can be a fun bonding experience for families. However, one might need to exercise caution before undertaking a hike in a remote area. One should also know the best course of action to take in case of an emergency. An 11-year-old managed to make one such wise decision while he was lost during a hike with his grandma and two siblings. His phone's battery was at four percent and they had been lost for around three hours. So the boy made a smart choice and it ended up saving four lives, per USA Today.
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office shared on Facebook that they were looking for four missing hikers on November 24. "Deputies received a call from a juvenile male at approximately 6:50 pm advising that he was lost, along with an adult female and two other juveniles in the area of Caesar’s Head." They were lost in Raven Cliff Falls, according to another update. They also shared the identities of the lost hikers. "Tonda Michelin and her three grandchildren: Melody Bangs,14, Michael Lawton, 11 and Dale Moser, 9. Their immediate recovery remains urgent. Please keep them, their families, and all personnel assisting in these efforts in your thoughts and prayers."
The family was eventually found on the Bill Kimbrell trail the next day and all of them were safe and well. It was all because Lawton decided to call 911 when his phone battery was at just four percent. He also informed the officials that his phone was about to die soon, per the outlet. A multi-agency search was initiated immediately after the officials received the call. Lt. Ryan Flood shared that the search team had found a white Nissan that looked like the family's car and was able to locate them soon after that. Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis was grateful that the family was found safe and sound. "With Thanksgiving a couple of days away, I'm sure there will be a lot of conversation and a lot of things to thank the Lord for."
He pointed out that the area the family had ventured into was still closed after the damage it had suffered during Tropical Storm Helene back in 2024. Lewis also appreciated Lawton for making the smart choice of calling 911 instead of waiting for his phone's battery to die. "I'm pretty sure they were using their phones to try and find their way out, but you just don't have a lot of signal here, so certainly be prepared. Know what you're getting into." Around six agencies had joined the search to find the four missing hikers and bring them back to safety.
Utility terrain vehicles, helicopters and drones had to be deployed along with 50 people to find the family because the authorities were dealing with a remote and "treacherous" ravine to find them. The sheriff cautioned anyone planning to undertake a difficult hike after the incident. "Let somebody know where you're going and how long you plan to be gone. Don't stray off the path. If you want to look at something, don't get distracted and recognize that you don't have all the answers. Ask a park ranger or get a map." The siblings were okay when the first responders found them, but the grandma was slightly dehydrated.