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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
National
Veronica Rocha

California hunter survives after breaking leg, crawling in wild for nearly four days

Sept. 25--A Riverside man crawled for nearly four days with a broken leg to survive after injuring himself during a hunting trip in Idaho.

John Sain, 50, is recovering at a hospital in Boise, Idaho, but was near death several days ago when rescuers found him.

Sain, an avid hunter who's a general contractor by trade, set off for an excursion last Wednesday in the Salmon-Challis National Forest in search of elk, KTVB-TV reported.

But his hunting trip went amiss following a misstep on a log. Sain broke two bones in his right leg, he told the news station.

"Contemplated on just ending it right there honestly," Sain told KTVB. "There was no way I was going to make it."

He made the decision that he would try to crawl to safety.

After three days of crawling with a broken limb and in cold temperatures, Sain reached a critical juncture.

With little food and water, Sain feared the worst: He would die alone without ever telling his family how much he loved them.

He penned letters to his wife and two children as he contemplated taking his own life, KABC-TV reported.

But after consideration, Sain told the news station he thought, "That's it. There is no way I am doing this. I will get out of here."

Battered and bruised, Sain decided he would continue to move forward.

As Sain crawled onto a path, he came across two motorcyclists who had been lost, the news station reported.

Soon after, a rescue crew went looking for them, and he was airlifted to an area hospital.

Sain is expected to return to California next week, the news station reported.

For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA.

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