A California man hiking alone in Joshua Tree National Park has been rescued after spending nearly two days stranded in the desert with a broken leg, according to news reports.
Robert Ringo of La Quinta got stuck in the wilderness last Thursday and began recording video of himself on the ground and yelling for help as temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees throughout the ordeal.
"This is the first time in my life I've experienced no saliva," he said in one of the videos.
“I never got to the point where I thought I’m not going to make it. I just had a confidence and a faith,” Ringo said, according to KESQ News Channel 3.
The misadventure happened on Quail Mountain, where Ringo broke his femur along the rocky terrain.
Unable to move, and with no cellphone service to call for help, he laid there for 40 hours, eating juniper berries and talking to himself on camera to keep his spirits up.
“I started trying to at least turn over, and when I did, it was just unbelievable pain,” he said, according to KESQ.
Luckily, Ringo took a few precautions before his hike that potentially saved his life.
Upon his arrival, Ringo tagged and shared his location with his son — “That’s just something I always do,” he said — plus he brought along 2 liters of water, which he had on him when he went down.
Finally, about 9 o’clock Saturday morning, Ringo looked up and saw a rescue helicopter hovering, KESQ reported. He was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center and is expected to make a full recovery.
“I’m just so grateful because, I mean, if I had never been found, it would be just devastating for my family,” Ringo told KCAL 9, the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles. “I have a very large family.”
Ringo says he plans to get back to hiking as soon as his leg heals.
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