Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Bryce • Tropic • Antimony • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder • Fremont • Loa • Lyman Bicknell • Teasdale • Torrey • Grover • Fruita • Caineville • Hanksville
Thursday, July 19, 2012 • Issue # 953
AUTISTIC MAN SURVIVES FOR OVER 3 WEEKS IN REMOTE ESCALANTE DESERT PANGUITCH - Twenty-eight year-old William Martin LaFever of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was found on Thursday, July 12 at about 3:30 p.m., extremely emaciated but alive, after being stranded in the remote Escalante desert for at least 3 weeks, possibly more. LaFever, who is autistic and lives on disability, called his father John LaFever, on the 6th or 7th of June to say he was in Boulder, Utah hiking with his dog, and that someone had stolen some of his hiking gear and he had run out of money. (It is assumed he was given a ride to Boulder, as he did not have his own vehicle.) His father said that he told William to get a ride to Page, Arizona, where he would then wire his son some money. His father did not hear from William again, not realizing that William’s plan was to hike down the Escalante River all the way to Lake Powell, and try to find a boat ride to Page. It is assumed that shortly after that phone call, perhaps within a week, William got a car ride to where the Escalante River crosses Highway 12, and began to hike down the river with his hiking gear and his dog. As he progressed he stayed with the river but began to run out of food and strength. His dog left him, and William began to start leaving his gear, until he had only the clothes on his back and his shoes. William said he survived by eating a few frogs he could catch, and some roots he thought might be edible, but had no other food and lived on the water of the Escalante River. On Monday, July 9th,
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the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch got a call from William’s sister Lisa, saying her brother was missing and that the family had not heard from him for weeks. The Sheriff’s office collected the information they could about where William might be, and called the UHP helicopter to search along the Escalante River. Deputy Ray Gardner went on the search, but said he was not expecting a good outcome at all. “We had no idea if William had stayed along the river, or decided to leave, or got a ride with someone, or was lost somewhere other than along the river. We flew along it without any expectation of finding anything at all. The conditions would have to be just right too; unless he was out in the open there was no way we would be able to find him.” About five miles before they reached Lake Powell, they spotted a man sitting in the Escalante River, weakly waving his arms. Deputy Gardner and the UHP helicopter landed about 100 feet away, not even sure if it was the man they were
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looking for. “We walked up to him and were absolutely dumbfounded to learn that it was William, and that he was alive. You’ve seen pictures of starving people from other countries; in all my career I have never seen someone so emaciated. I could not believe that he was alive, and feel certain that in another 24 hours he would not have been alive.” William was so weak that he could not stand or walk. Deputy Gardner says William was so starved for human contact that it took a lot of coaxing for him to eat and drink because he would not stop talking. He finally did take a drink and eat a granola bar. The deputy and pilot helped William into the helicopter, where he was flown to Garfield Memorial Hospital and is likely to stay there for at least several days recovering. It’s estimated William hiked at least 40 miles down the Escalante River. Sheriff Danny Perkins says
“The UHP helicopter has once again been an invaluable resource and we want to thank them. We could not have found William without their service. Another example of a life being saved by the UHP helicopter in Garfield County. William would have died without the UHP helicopter finding him; there are no two ways about it.” It is interesting to note that Deputy Gardner took a search and rescue class only a few months ago that dealt with finding people who are autistic. Gardner says that he learned that those with autism are naturally drawn to water, and that if someone who is autistic is missing, that if there is a water source nearby, to look there first. That, combined with the luck that William was out in the open, that he had stayed along the Escalante River, and that the call came in from his sister in enough time to look for him, all worked together for an incredible story of survival.
A FITTING LESSON ESCALANTE - Wendy Winn of Burns Saddlery in Salina came to Escalante on Thursday, July 12th to give a Saddling Clinic to the Canyon Country Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Utah. She brought nearly a dozen new and used saddles to demonstrate how to achieve the perfect fit for every kind of horse. BCHU members showed up with seven horses for her to work on. In the photo, she is fitting Jet, a school- horse belonging to Carol Kracht. Accompanying Wendy was Nathan Horsman, a Master Instructor & Clinic Instructor of reining cow horses as well as all other types of Western and English performance horsess. He brought a lovely little mare with him to demonstrate on. It was a pleasure to see the two of them move around the arena. We are most grateful to Nathan and Wendy and Burns Saddlery for the privelege of getting to learn from such knowledgable folks. THE WAYNE & GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER is owned and operated by Snapshot Multimedia, LLC and is distributed weekly to all of Wayne and Garfield Counties, Utah. Its purpose is to inform residents about local issues and events. Articles submitted from independent writers are not necessarily the opinion of Snapshot Multimedia, LLC. We sincerely hope you enjoy the paper and encourage input on ideas and/or suggestions for the paper. Thank you for your support.
VEDA HALE WINS LITERARY AWARD PANGUITCH - Veda Tebbs Hale, local artist and author was awarded for her writing as she won in the Best Biography category in Alberta, Canada. Panguitch resident and well know author and artist resides in Panguitch during the summer months. She is the owner and artist of residence at the Hale’s Art Gallery on Main Street. “’Swell Suffering’: A Biography of Maurine Whipple” wins the Mormon History Association’s Ella Larsen TurnerElla Ruth Turner Bergera Award for Best Biography Veda Tebbs Hale’s “Swell Suffering”: A Biography of Maurine Whipple received the Ella Larsen Turner-Ella Ruther Turner Bergera Award for Best Biography at the 2012 conference for the Mormon History Association, held this past week in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “[Hale’s] unique biographical voice helps bring Maurine’s story—a story of triumph, heartache, and crawling courage—to life,” said Blair Hodges, Association for Mormon Letters. “This is a wonderful, if emotionally taxing, biography of a fascinating Mormon author.” “Swell Suffering ”was published by Greg Kofford Books last year in both paperback and hardcover. In this volume, Hale tells the story of prize-winning novelist Maurine Whipple, author of The Giant Joshua – which has been categorized as Mormonism’s greatest novel. This title answers questions that have been long left unanswered, such as why Whipple never finished what she had projected to be a trilogy. Hale tells Maurine Whipple’s story which a fact that can only come from personal friendship and long-held respect of her subject.
FIRE PREVENTION ORDER ISSUED ON BLM LANDS KANAB - The Bureau of Land Management issued a fire prevention order July 10 for all BLM administered lands within Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane, Garfield, Sevier, Sanpete, Piute and Wayne Counties. This order includes all areas including developed campgrounds on Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The order prohibits the following acts: • Setting, building, maintaining, attending, or using open fire of any kind (including charcoal) except as otherwise authorized. This includes all fires in developed areas and previously approved sites. Devices fueled by petroleum or liquid propane gas (LPG) are allowed in all locations. • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, camp trailer, or building, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared to mineral soil. • Discharging, or using any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition, or other incendiary devices in any location on federal lands. • Operating a motorcycle, chainsaw, ATV, or other types of small engines without an approved and working spark arrester. This order is effective July 10 and will remain in effect until rescinded. Individuals violating this order can be subject to fines and associated fire suppression and rehabilitation costs. Information concerning these fire restrictions may be obtained at www.utahfireinfo.gov; at the Color Country District Office, 176 East DL Sargent Drive, Cedar City, Utah; or by calling 435-865-3000.
Oh, it does look that way from where you’re standing, doesn’t it? —Ryan Davis
Wayne Phone: 435-836-2622 Garfield Phone: 435-676-2621 Fax 1-888-370-8546 PO BOX 472, Loa, Utah 84747 snapshot@live.com ALL content for THE WAYNE &GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted on FRIDAY BEFORE 5:00 PM to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper.
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