A Hawaii man miraculously survived after finding himself trapped in the 15-foot-deep ravine for three days without any food.
Ian Goodsell, 41, was crossing a fragile bridge in a forest near Kamaili road when it collapsed, sending him into a deep ravine.
Ian’s brother, Garrett Goodsell, said his beloved brother was stuck in the ravine for nearly three nights and believes Ian’s determination to stand firm in the face of adversity came from thinking of his two sons.
Ian suffered serious injuries and was later placed on a ventilator. He remains unable to speak, leaving the family uncertain about what he was doing in the forest at the time of the accident.
However, the family believes that he used his tank top to soak up the available water and drink it for three days in order to survive.
Meanwhile, Ian’s former wife, Alta Goodsell, stated that her ex was an outdoor enthusiast and was taking care of the land out in the wild. Alta speculated that Ian might have been maintaining the trail in the forest when the accident occurred.
While Ian was trapped down in the ravine, he reportedly suffered from multiple seizures. Alta suggested that he take the epilepsy medicine daily to avoid seizures, and the unavailability of the medicine in the ditch means that his health took a massive downturn, resulting in the seizures.
On August 21, just four days before the dangerous Hurricane Hone hit Hawaii, which resulted in heavy flooding and up to 85 mph winds, a passerby found Ian, leading to his rescue.
The passerby informed the authorities about the man lying in the ravine. Firefighters arrived at the scene and rescued him from nearly 600 feet off the road.
Hone hit Hawaii as a Category 1 hurricane. Although it is considered the least severe form of hurricane, it still poses severe threats such as gusty wind spells and heavy flooding.
Garrett said his brother only had enough strength to tell authorities about his seizures and how long he had been trapped, after which he collapsed and was placed on a ventilator.
After almost a week, he was removed from the ventilator as his situation improved, although he is still unable to speak.
Garrett also noted that the hospital staff told him that Ian suffered from chronic liver injuries, severe bruising and wounds, acute dehydration, and pneumonia.
Meanwhile, Daniel Volpe, Hawaii Fire Department Deputy Chief warned adventurers against going off the hiking trails like Ian did to avoid potential danger. Volpe also suggested that every hiker must inform someone else before going on these adventures.
Ian’s family raised nearly $9,400 for his medical expenses through a GoFundMe campaign, just short of their $10,000 goal.
