After a massive search effort, a second grader who went missing for two days in the Upper Peninsula is alive and safe.
Niemi had been lost alone in the wilderness for over 49 hours.
“He was found at approximately 1:30 p.m. central time Monday (May 8) by some local search and rescue personnel, sheltering under a log,” said Lt. Jason Wickstrom. “He had been circling that particular area yesterday and for part of last night.”
He was in a spot rescue teams already searched, but rescuers didn’t find him because he’d been walking in circles.
The rescue team that eventually found him says he was about 50 yards from an area where they’d already been.
One of his friends was brought in to be a familiar face he was found.
“As soon as I heard that, I just grabbed my bag that was on the ground, and I started sprinting, and I get over this little tiny hill, and all I see is this little, tiny, white sweatshirt, and he goes, ‘Eli,’ and I just ran up over to him, and I gave him the biggest hug,” rescue team member Eli Talsma. “I was so relieved once I saw him.”
Talsma used a carrier pack to get him out of the woods because he was too tired.
On the way back, he told them what had happened during his time alone.
It included following blue marks on trees and spotting search helicopters.
Niemi was found in good health and unharmed. The first thing he asked to do was to call his mom.