8-year-old Nante Niemi has been found safe after surviving two days alone in Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
The young boy disappeared while collecting firewood for his family’s camp but was discovered sheltering under a log.
The remarkable story of his survival has been shared by NBC News’ Anne Thompson.
Nante was located on Monday afternoon, much to the relief of searchers who had focused their efforts on a 40-square mile area within Michigan’s largest state park.
Over 150 people participated in the search, including 18-year-old Eli Talsma, who happened to be familiar with the young boy.
Eli recounted his emotional encounter with Nante, describing how he spotted the boy’s white sweatshirt and rushed over to him, giving him a big hug.
The sight of Nante brought immense relief to Eli and the search team.
As they carried Nante to safety, Eli learned that although the rescuers couldn’t see him, Nante had managed to spot them, even a police helicopter.
During his ordeal, Nante covered himself with branches and leaves to stay warm and survived by eating clean snow for hydration since he had no food.
His resourcefulness and resilience were instrumental in his survival.
The boy’s mother, whose name was not provided in the available information, expressed her gratitude and relief after her son’s rescue.
The family can now breathe a sigh of relief as Nante is safely back with them, marking a triumph over potential tragedy in the wilds of Michigan’s state park.
