Miraculous Survival: Travel Blogger's 1,000-Foot Fall And Three-Day Ordeal In Hawaii Wilderness

Snyder, a 34-year-old Californian, was hiking alone on the Koolau Summit Trail in Honolulu when he slipped and fell after reaching the peak. He was eventually found at the base of a waterfall, where he had been surviving on water from a nearby stream.

"I never expected a day of hiking like this to go the way it did," Snyder said at a news conference in Hawaii on Tuesday. He expressed his gratitude to his rescuers, saying, "It’s a miracle, first and foremost, of God. I’m glad to be here, incredibly glad to be here and glad to be in mostly one piece. I’m incredibly grateful to all of you for the job you do each and every day."

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After Snyder's family reported him missing, the Oahu hiking community rallied together to aid in the search. His sister revealed that they were able to pinpoint his approximate location using a video he had posted on social media during his hike, according to local news station KHNL.

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When rescuers finally located Snyder three days after his fall, he was dehydrated, bruised, and had sustained several broken bones. Snyder recounted his survival strategy, saying, "I had made my peace with God. I said, I know you. I know that Christ is Lord and he's my savior and I will be OK whether I live or whether I die. At the same time, I wanted to live. I wasn't giving up the will to live."

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Rescuers were astounded by Snyder's survival. Honolulu Fire Capt. Adrian Gravalho said, "To our disbelief, he was waving his hands to get our attention. We still don't understand how to explain it."

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EMS paramedic Allen Zhang, who was part of the rescue team, said they were "expecting the worst-case scenario." He added, "Falling 1,000 feet from a trail is no joke. We ended up treating another 14 patients that shift, but as you can imagine Mr. Snyder, your call was the most memorable."

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Reflecting on his ordeal, Snyder admitted that hiking alone was a mistake and expressed regret for using Google to plan his trail. He also acknowledged making a split-second decision during his hike that led him on a more dangerous path, resulting in severe consequences.

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At the press conference, Snyder's parents expressed their gratitude to the firefighters, EMS personnel, and Oahu hikers who assisted in the search and rescue. "I thank you so much for rescuing my son," said John Snyder, Ian's father.

Amber Fonte of the Oahu Hiking Community, who was part of the search team, shared her joy at finding Snyder alive. "I thought the best gift we could give to the family was that we had found a body and when we had found a whole human living and breathing and waving at the sky, it was like, ‘Merry Christmas.’"