A 59-year-old Texas marketing executive credits his survival to drinking from puddles and eating tadpoles when he got lost at a state park in mid-June.
Jeff Hahn Harper Hahn and his 25-year-old daughter Harper Hahn initially planned a brief hike, however, their trip turned dangerous when they lost their way home, the New York Post reported. The pair became disoriented during their hike, and Jeff began to suffer from leg cramps. Eight hours into their journey, they ran out of water, and Jeff’s condition worsened under the intense heat, according to Texas Highways, according to the New York Post.
“You’re exposed, there’s no place to hide. There’s not a blade of grass. There’s not trees, ” Jeff recounted.
With Jeff unable to continue with aching legs, Harper decided to leave her father and seek help. However, when she returned with park superintendent Nathanael Gold, Jeff was missing. During her absence, Jeff continued to move to find help. Despite severe leg pain, he found his way to a shack where he discovered two water bottles, which he consumed, the New York Post reported.
Texas hiker, 59, drank from puddle and ate tadpoles to survive 107-degree heat https://t.co/7J1ORA6jTr pic.twitter.com/4wXe8QGOCP
— New York Post (@nypost) November 15, 2023
The situation escalated when Jeff stumbled over a rock, fracturing his wrist. Desperate for hydration, he found a puddle of water and used the straw from his water bottle to drink. Continuing his struggle for survival, Jeff saw a stream filled with tadpoles, which he ate to sustain himself. (RELATED: Court Fines Arizona Hiker Nearly $300,000 After He Started A 230-Acre Fire To Attract Rescuers)
After more than 24 hours, Jeff was eventually found by a rescue team. “My dad was just chilling like it was a soccer game. He just looked like my dad,” Harper reportedly told Texas Highways.
Jeff was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition caused by extreme physical exertion leading to muscle breakdown, and acute renal failure. He required hospitalization for several days but has since fully recovered, except for limited mobility in his injured wrist.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Jeff expressed a desire to return to the park and replace the water he used at the shack, aspiring to become a “trail angel” for future hikers, according to the outlet.