A missing Andrew Giddens has been pulled from the brink of death after being discovered buried up to his neck in thick, clinging mud, more than a week after he disappeared on Valentine’s Day.
The 36-year-old’s nightmare ordeal came to light when his abandoned vehicle was located near the Vulcan Sand Plant, sparking an urgent search.
What rescuers found was almost unbelievable.
Authorities say Giddens was effectively swallowed by mud so dense it behaved like quicksand, making him nearly impossible to spot. By the time he was located, he had been without food or water for days and had endured multiple nights of freezing temperatures, clinging to life in conditions few could survive.
Freeing him was no simple task.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, it took nearly three hours and a complex rescue operation to extract Giddens safely, as crews battled the same dangerous terrain that trapped him.
“[Rescuers] have to take extra precautions to make sure they don’t get stuck in said material,” said Major D. Ussery. “So yes, there were many apparatuses used to extract him from that, something I have not seen in my 23-year career.”
Once freed, Giddens was airlifted to a trauma center and listed in critical condition. Authorities say he is expected to recover.
Ten days missing. Buried alive in mud. Rescued against the odds.
