Craig Berg, a 70-year-old hiker, was missing for over a week on a Michigan island before being found. In a recent interview with The Zealand Herald, he recounted his experience and survival tactics during those challenging days. Berg revealed that he repeatedly shouted a desperate three-word plea, estimating he did so around ‘10,000 times’ in hopes of being rescued.
I’m lost! But just four days into his trip, tragedy struck as he lost track of the trail and wandered directly into a dense, muddy swamp. He struggled and lost his balance, dropping his phone into the water. I’m lost!”, expecting someone would hear. When he didn’t return as scheduled, his family raised the alarm, and a search operation was launched, involving state troopers, park rangers, and search-and-rescue dogs.
The call for help was: “Help! Last month, Berg went for a weeklong solo trip through Isle Royale National Park, which is a remote island located in Lake Superior near the Canadian border. His plan was to hike nearly seven miles a day and return home in time to run a 5K race with his son. He had no map, no way to signal for help, and no quick way out. he recalled, “It was like quicksand While speaking to the media outlet. When he realised that he was trapped, he used all his survival skills and tried to stay safe. He managed to find a small patch of elevated ground between a cluster of trees. As per the report, he pitched his bright-orange tent, hoping search teams might spot it from above. He also decided to ration his remaining food and stay put to save his energy. They followed the sound and spotted Berg and immediately notified authorities. A US Coast Guard helicopter crew arrived shortly after, rescuing Berg from there.
Due to the low food supply, he ate only once every couple of days and drank treated swamp water with chlorine tablets to avoid dehydration. Finally, he was located on September 12 when two kayakers travelling near the area heard a faint cry.
“Man, I can’t be walking around here anymore,” he recalled, adding that he thought he was “going to die. “I knew I had to conserve my energy as much as possible,” he said. Berg also maintained a daily journal, heading each entry with the word “LOST” alongside his name, and every day shouted the same three words: “Help!
