A 28-year-old with autism was found alive after three weeks in the Utah desert where he sustained by eating roots and frogs.
Rescuers said Thursday that William LeFever was emaciated when they discovered him by the Escalante River, but alive.
The Colorado man was apparently hiking near Boulder, Utah in June when his equipment was stolen. LeFever called his father who said he would wire money to the young man in Page, Ariz. Rather than find a ride, officials said LeFever began walking and trekked some 70 miles.
LeFever’s sister alerted authorities Monday after the family hadn’t heard from him in weeks.
Once discovered, rescuers said that LeFever was so eager for human contact that it was difficult to get him to stop talking long enough to eat something.
Authorities credited autism training at least in part for helping them locate LeFever. One of the rescuers suggested searching near the river because he learned that those with autism are often drawn to water, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. To read more click here.
Does this article seriously credit mystical hydrophilic properties of autism with helping this man survive? Seriously? It sounds to me as though he was an educated hiker who, even if he kinda blew it on the initial decision to walk, knew that if you get lost, especially in the DESERT, you stay near the water.
Someone please explain to me why anyone thinks it makes sense to say that this man was near the river because autistic people are “often drawn to water.” Anyone, especially an experienced hiker, who got lost in the desert would seek out water.
Well, there’s something for DSM-VI: exposing the person being diagnosed to a body of water and seeing whether they are attracted, repulsed, or unaffected.
(I live near Lake Erie and walk within sight of the lake a few times per month. However, that may have something to do with the fact that there’s a pretty decent bike path going back toward the house, which spares me having to cross busy streets. I do feel hotter, but that’s probably because there’s no shade on that path and it’s summer at the moment. Too much sunshine will heat up anyone!)
And yeah, walking in the desert would encourage anyone to stay near a river. Good place to find roots & frogs, too.