After one of the most expensive search and rescues in Grand Canyon history, John was found alive. John Fountain is a survivor. I mean this figuratively. At 18 years old, John and some high school friends set off for a hiking trip into the Grand Canyon. It was to be their last adventure of the summer before entering college. All seemed to go well for the first few hours on their descent to Horseshoe Mesa. The canyon was deceivingly beautiful. The vistas were surreal and so was the 100 plus degree temperature. After a day of hiking, the friends became dehydrated and then sick. John knew he had to do something for his friends. He needed to hike back up the canyon and go for help. Together they found a big rock to provide shade from the heat and then John left his friends with his gear, save some water and a few essentials.
John headed back up the canyon but soon found himself going the wrong way. After hiking back up a steep escarpment, he became lost and the climbing heat soon attacked John like his friends. He felt himself getting ill. He made his way back to where his companions were the next day but they were gone. They were feeling better after some rest and went to find water. John set off to find his friends. Somehow missing each other in their quest, they remained separated and did not connect. By this time there was evidence that John had come back to the place where he left his friends. His backpack was open and items removed and used. Thinking John had come back and then hiked out once again his buddies left to emerge from the canyon, only to discover that John was nowhere in sight. John’s car was still where he had left it. They knew John was down in the canyon, lost. They went for help.
Search and rescue crews fanned out into the canyon to search for John. Day after day they could not find him. John was sleeping during the hot days and traveling in the evening. The brilliant moon shining its beams of light showing him the way. John wandered the many canyons and gullies. With no food, John found whatever he could to eat. Frogs somehow kept him nourished. John found water where water was not supposed to be. Spending his 19th birthday alone, John sang Happy Birthday to himself over and over again to keep awake and alert through his ordeal through the cooler canyon evenings.
After six days John was presumed dead. Yet, he was very much alive. Some thirty miles from where he started, John spotted a lone hiker on a ridge above him. It happened to be a British man, Richard Hignett walking alone along a trail. John followed the man and finally tackled him to get his attention. When John told the man who he was, he was astonished. In no shape to go up, they went down the well-traveled trail to Phantom Ranch where they called for help. John was rescued.
John’s complete story was finally told after 25 plus years to an audience of industry peers. John held back the emotional scars that made this journey come rushing back to him in crystal clarity as he spoke to this industry conference on survival in tough times. This story gave me pause to reflect on how John’s incredible story of survival is a parable for those of us in business today. Preparing for a journey will only help you on your trek. It does not guarantee success. The choices one makes have consequences. Choose the course you take wisely. Pursue your path. Keep going in the face of adversity. Roadblocks like steep escarpments or dangerous cliffs may make you change course. Adapt to the environment you are in. Use what you have at hand to get you through. Be creative in your approach to any situation. Participate in pensive moments and reflect on yourself, your goals, and your situation. Perpetually move forward. John’s journey is our journey. We all enter a wilderness at times. The best emerge from the abyss, stronger and better prepared for the next adventure.
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