A 76-year-old Vietnam veteran is recovering after spending five days lost in the Arizona wilderness, surviving harsh conditions before being located by search-and-rescue crews and family members, as reported by The New York Post.

Mark Eric Young, a North Carolina resident, had traveled to Arizona to attend a wedding and decided to extend his stay in the Verde Valley area. On April 16, he drove to the Bloody Basin region for a solo hike, according to reports from Arizona Family and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

When Young failed to attend a planned dinner with a family friend the following day, relatives grew concerned and reported him missing. Authorities launched a search effort, with crews combing the rugged terrain as his family joined the effort.

Young later explained that he had hiked the trail before but lost his way during the outing.

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“I blundered. I got off the wrong trail,” he told 12News.

The veteran, who completed two tours of duty in Vietnam, described the experience as one of the most difficult situations he had faced.

“I’ve never been without water for five days,” Young said.

During the ordeal, Young took shelter under cedar and pine trees at night and relied on limited supplies he had brought with him, including a military compass, canteens, lighters, and water purification tablets.

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At one point, he encountered a rattlesnake while navigating the terrain.

“I came around a corner, and it was rattling, and I heard it, and I think he saw me about the same time. Well, maybe he saw me early, because he was rattling, and he struck, but he was short on that strike, and then I stoned him to death,” he said.

By the third day, Young’s water supply had been depleted. He described taking additional measures to remain alive.

“It was on the third day when I actually had to drink my own urine,” he said. “So I urinated in my canteen and drank it because I knew I had to, to survive.”

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As the days passed without contact, Young said he relied on his faith and thoughts of his family, which includes seven children and 31 grandchildren.

“Being encouraged was different scriptures and different remembrances of near-death situations in my life, and just not feeling like this is not the way to die, you know, by giving up definitely,” he said.

Search teams eventually located Young’s vehicle and followed evidence into the surrounding area. Investigators later found the remains of the rattlesnake he had killed, which indicated he could still be nearby.

On the fifth day, Young heard voices calling out. He responded despite not immediately recognizing who was searching for him.

“I heard him talking. I didn’t know. I had no idea that it would be my sons, or my family. I just yelled out because I was really worn out,” he said. “It was incredible. I mean, we wept and hugged.”

The voices belonged to his sons, Paul and Josh, who had joined the search effort alongside rescue teams.

Young was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital, where he was treated for dehydration. Authorities said he did not suffer any broken bones or serious injuries.

Reflecting on the experience, Young said the ordeal changed his perspective and highlighted the efforts of those who worked to bring him home.

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“It makes you weep. It’s just because of the love. It isn’t about me, it’s about those — the community, unity, and the people that are willing to even risk their lives for the rescue,” he said.

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