The 3-year-old boy who survived two freezing nights says a bear kept him warm

When a child goes off on their own and becomes lost, especially in the wilderness, the chances of finding them alive again are minimal. This was the Hathaway family’s worst concern when their 3-year-old son Casey became lost in the woods during North Carolina’s hard winter.

They miraculously discovered him alive and well three days later. Who is he grateful to for his survival in the woods?

A stuffed animal In January 2019, Casey Hathaway, 3, was visiting his grandmother in North Carolina. He was playing with two other kids in the backyard, but when they went inside, Casey was nowhere to be found.

His parents describe him as a curious boy, so they imagined he went off to find everything that caught his interest!!!

When his grandma noticed Casey was missing, she called the police. The search for the tiny kid began quickly, as the weather forecast called for rain. Temperatures plummeted to 20 degrees Fahrenheit the first night Casey was missing. The following night was cold with heavy rain. The conditions were so severe that the search had to be canceled. It goes without saying that

The family was gradually losing hope. He had a slim possibility of getting discovered. His chances of being discovered alive were much slimmer. Helicopters, drones, K-9 units, divers, and hundreds of volunteers were used in the search.

Due to the harsh conditions, authorities recommended volunteers to remain away the second night. The family was gradually losing hope because they were not equipped for the weather.

After being lost for two nights, someone reported hearing a baby screaming in the woods, prompting rescuers to arrive. After some searching, they ultimately spotted him tangled up in some prickly shrubs. The rescuers had to wade through waist-high water to reach the young boy. He was wet, cold, and scraped, but otherwise unharmed. He was merely looking for a glass of water and to see his mother.

The question on everyone’s minds was as to how this tiny little boy survived two nights in freezing, rainy conditions like that with nothing but a few scratches? While he was in the hospital afterward getting checked out by doctors, he informed his family how. According to Casey, he made a friend in the woods who helped to keep him warm. That friend was none other than a black bear.

Naturally, the story seems pretty unbelievable. Coming from a curious, imaginative 3-year-old even less so. Of course, no one has any way to either confirm or deny whether or not his tale is true. There are plenty of black bears in North Carolina, so encountering one wouldn’t be a stretch. Befriending it enough so that it snuggles you and keeps you warm at nighttime, however? Well, we’ll probably never know.