A man talks about his experience being rescued from the Santa Monica mountains after being stuck in the wilderness for four days. Gordon Tokumatsu reports for NBC4 News on Friday, April 6, 2018.
A seriously injured hiker spent three days without food in the mountains above Malibu before he was located in the wilderness by search-and-rescue teams.
Marcelo Santos spoke Friday about a harrowing ordeal that he said he didn't think he would survive. Santos, confined to a wheelchair due to his leg injuries, is recovering at a hospital.
Santos was reported missing Sunday. About 100 searchers fanned out in the Malibu Creek State Park area. They located his cell phone in a backpack, but Santos was nowhere around.
That's because he had tumbled down a steep rock face, ripping open his knee.
For the next three days, Santos was without food. He found drinking water in a mountain stream and endured cold temperatures at night.
In his words, he was "freaked out."
"I had not energy left," said Santos. "I was dehydrated. I had no nutrients left in my body, and I was hurt. I just knew if I gave up, though, that I would literally be giving up my life because no one was going to find me where I was. I just found the will to keep going."
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At one point, Santos could hear search helicopters overhead, but he was hidden from view by a tree canopy. He finally limped to a Salvation Army Camp on the edge of the park, where searchers found him.
When asked whether he plans to go for a hike after his injuries heal, Santos said, "Yes," without hesitation. He added that his biggest mistake was leaving his backpack behind. In addition to his phone, it contained flashlights and a lighter.
