Always in the last place you look. Brennan Hawkins was found wandering exhausted, hungry, and missing his mom after eluding thousands of searchers for four days. He had gone the opposite direction of the paths the hordes were combing.
But 11-year-old Brennan did the opposite, hiking up 600 feet and five miles in the counterintuitive direction, away from the river valley that led to a swollen and dangerous Bear River.
Details are unavailable as to how Brennan spent his nights in the wilderness where fortunately temperatures never dropped below 50 degrees F. But the scout did admit to evading some searchers on horseback because he was scared.
He was spotted by Forrest Nunley who was out searching on his own on his ATV late Tuesday morning on a pass above Lily Lake.
“I turned a corner and there was a kid standing in the middle of the trail. He was all muddy and wet,” said Nunley, a 43-year-old house painter. “He was a little delirious. I sat him down and gave him a little food.”
Brennan, who had not carried food or water with him on his journey, chugged a number of bottles of water and emptied a rescuer’s supply of granola bars on the way back to being reunited with his family.
“He was in no mood to give us some details,” said Sheriff Edmunds. “He just wanted to eat and see his mom.”
His mom was, as would be expected, excited to see him.
“People say that the heavens are closed and God no longer answers prayers. We are here to unequivocally tell you that the heavens are not closed, prayers are answered and children come home,” said Jody Hawkins, the boy’s mother.
Brennan was taken to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City and was released just after midnight. Though he was in good condition, doctors wanted to keep him over night for tests.
