An 8-year-old boy has been reunited with his family after disappearing for two days in Michigan's Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
The boy, identified as Nante Niemi, was last seen around 1 p.m. on Saturday while collecting firewood near his family's campsite.
USA TODAY reported that the 8-year-old boy disappeared in the wilderness, commonly referred to as "the Porkies," which spans across 60,000 acres of old-growth forest, rivers, waterfalls, trails, and ridges.
A rescue search party was launched, and over 150 search and rescue personnel participated in the search for the boy, which covered 40 square miles of remote and hilly terrain in Michigan's upper peninsula.
Successful Rescue of the 8-Year-Old Boy
After two days of searching, volunteers found Nante Niemi at 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday, two miles away from his campsite.
According to NBC News, the boy found shelter under a log in the Michigan state park, where he was discovered by the rescue team, as confirmed by the Michigan State Police.
Eli Talsma, who helped in the rescue, said that the 8-year-old boy managed to survive for two days without food or water.
Talsma stated that Niemi covered himself with branches and leaves at night and attempted to signal a helicopter when he saw one buzzing overhead, but the pilot appeared not to see him.
Talsma added that the boy avoided drinking the water in the forest, fearing getting sick.
During the two-day period, the 8-year-old boy survived without any food or drink except for a few handfuls of snow, which he consumed for sustenance.
When rescuers found Niemi under the log, they said that he was "just normal" and appeared to be in good health despite surviving alone in the wilderness for two days.
Talsma said that the boy was talking, asking questions, and even stating that he wasn't hungry.
Rescuers gave him a banana, a Cliff Bar, and some water to replenish his energy and hydrate him.
During the rescue search, Colin Gauther, one of the members of the team, reported hearing a sound that they initially thought was a bird and seeing some footprints.
However, after hearing the sound again, it became clear to Gauther that it was a child yelling.
Relief and Gratitude
Volunteers from Michigan and Wisconsin aided in the rescue search, which lasted for two days.
Michelle Robinson, a spokesperson for the Michigan State Police, said that while she did not have any information about how the boy managed to survive on his own for two days, she expressed her happiness that he was able to reunite with his family, according to ABC.
The announcement about the safe rescue of Niemi prompted cheers throughout the K-12 school building of the Hurley School District in Wisconsin, where the boy attends elementary school.
Steve Lombardo, the elementary school principal of the Hurley School District, said the entire school was relieved and thankful when they heard about the boy's safe rescue.
Lombardo stated that the entire school lit up in cheers, and everybody was just grateful and happy that the boy was back with his family.
The school had been on edge since the boy's disappearance, and news of his rescue brought joy and relief to the school community.
The Michigan State Police praised the efforts of the search and rescue team, saying that their hard work and dedication resulted in a successful outcome.
They expressed their gratitude to all the volunteers who helped in the rescue search for the 8-year-old boy, saying that their selfless service made a difference in the community.
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