Father and Son Survive Night in Utah Wilderness With ‘Miracle’ Backpack

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A father and son stranded in southern Utah found an unexpected source of survival—a green backpack stocked with supplies, left behind more than a month earlier by another hiker.

Julian Hernandez and his son had set out on a hike in the Red Mountain Trail area of Dammeron Valley when they lost their way. As night fell and temperatures dropped, they searched for shelter, unaware that fate—or perhaps something more—had already provided them with the help they needed.

The Story Behind the Backpack

That same trail had challenged another hiker just weeks earlier. In early January, 15-year-old Levi Dittman embarked on a hike, carefully preparing his backpack with food, first aid supplies, and emergency gear. But the terrain proved more difficult than expected.

“Looking at the map, it seems flat, which it’s not,” Levi recalled. “So, anyone else, do not try this.”

At one point, Levi found himself stuck on a ledge, unable to continue. Forced to wait for rescue, he made a split-second decision to toss his backpack to another spot on the trail, hoping he could retrieve it later.

Search and rescue crews eventually brought him to safety, but his carefully stocked backpack was left behind.

“I kinda just had to leave it there, which was frustrating because it had about $200 to $300 worth of stuff in it,” Levi said.

What seemed like a frustrating loss for Levi turned into a lifesaving discovery for someone else.

A Timely Rescue

More than a month later, Julian and his son ended up stranded in the very same area. Unlike Levi, they had no supplies with them.

“We weren’t prepared,” Julian admitted. “The first thing that came to my mind was to find shelter.”

While searching for a safe place to wait for help, they stumbled upon something that felt almost too good to be true—a green backpack, fully stocked with food, water, and emergency gear.

“The moment we found the backpack—it was lovely,” Julian said. “It had food, water, and even an emergency tent.”

Those supplies helped them make it through the night until they were able to get to safety.

A Full-Circle Moment

On February 17, Levi and his mother visited the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to reclaim the backpack, now returned by Julian.

“I’m just glad it could help someone,” Levi said.

His mother, Gretchen Dittman, saw the situation as more than just chance.

“You really have to have faith that God is working,” she said. “Sometimes He’s using a backpack that sat for a month and a half for someone who needed it in that exact moment. This was a God moment—it was really cool.”

For Julian and his son, the backpack was more than just gear—it was an unexpected lifeline in a desperate situation. And for Levi, what he thought was a lost bag became a small but powerful act of providence.

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