The 3-Year-Old Boy Who Survived 2 Freezing Nights Says That A Bear Helped Keep Him Warm

When a youngster goes off on their own and becomes lost, especially in the wilderness, the odds of them being found alive are usually small. When Casey, their 3-year-old son, went lost in the woods during North Carolina’s severe winter, this was the Hathaway family’s worst dread. They miraculously discovered him alive and well three days later. Who does he give credit to for his wilderness survival? It’s a bear.

Casey Hathaway, 3, was visiting his grandma in North Carolina in January 2019. He was playing in the backyard with two other kids, but when they went inside, Casey was nowhere to be seen. His parents describe him as an inquisitive youngster, so they assumed he went off to discover anything that piqued his attention. When Casey’s grandma learned he was missing, she alerted the authorities.

She informed the 9-1-1 dispatcher, “He was wandering in the woods back there and we can’t locate him.” “The other ones came into the home, but they left him there, and he went away, and we haven’t been able to locate him.”

Because the weather was forecast to be terrible, the search for the small child began right away. The temperature fell to 20 degrees Fahrenheit the first night Casey was absent. The following night was quite cold, with heavy rain. The search had to be called off because of the poor conditions. Needless to say, the family was fast losing hope. He had a little probability of getting discovered. Even smaller were his odds of being discovered alive.

A Miracle

Helicopters, drones, K-9 units, divers, and hundreds of volunteers were used in the search. Due to the harsh conditions, authorities advised volunteers to remain away the second night. The family was fast losing hope since they were not suited appropriately for the conditions.

Then, after being absent for two nights, someone reported hearing a baby wailing in the woods, and rescuers were dispatched. They eventually discovered him tangled up in some prickly bushes after some searching. To reach the small kid, the rescuers had to wade through waist-high water. He was damp, chilly, and scratched, but otherwise uninjured. He only wanted a glass of water and to see his mother.

A Friendly Bear

The issue on everyone’s minds was how this little young child managed to live two nights in such cold, wet circumstances with only a few scrapes. He told his family about it when he was in the hospital getting checked out by physicians. Casey claims he made a buddy in the woods who helped him stay warm. That buddy turned out to be a black bear.

In a Facebook post, his aunt Breanna Hathaway said, “He stated he hung out with a bear for two days.” “God provided him with a companion to keep him safe. God is a wonderful being. It is possible for miracles to occur.”

Naturally, the narrative appears to be implausible. Even less so coming from an inquisitive, imaginative 3-year-old. Of course, no one can confirm or refute whether or not his story is accurate. In North Carolina, there are lots of black bears, so it wouldn’t be surprising if you ran upon one. But befriending it to the point where it cuddles you and keeps you warm at night? We’ll never know, I suppose.

The joyful ending is the most essential aspect of this narrative. This narrative, like so many others before it, might have ended in disaster. Casey was discovered alive, healthy, and unhurt by the rescuers. Whether it’s an imaginary bear companion or not, that’s something to be proud of.