Missing Roseburg man found alive after 17 days in wilderness

After 17 nights in the wilderness, 69-year-old Harry Burleigh was found alive Sunday.

Burleigh’s fishing gear and a shelter was found in the Calf Creek area the weekend of May 15. Douglas County Search and Rescue called in additional resources from Jackson County, Lake County and Siskiyou County to conduct another mission in the area on Sunday.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said in a release that at around 3:00 Sunday afternoon, a team of searchers from Jackson County SAR located a shelter southwest of the original shelter found last weekend. The search crews called out to Mr. Burleigh who responded back. He was found to be walking and complaining of minor pain, but was in stable condition.

Burleigh was hoisted by a Brim helicopter and transported to a waiting Lifeflight helicopter. Lifeflight later took him to an out of area hospital for evaluation.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brad O’Dell released a statement Sunday saying “this was the outcome we all have been looking for in this case. It is because of our determined Search and Rescue Teams and the partnerships we have with other SAR teams from around the state, that Mr. Burleigh has been re-united with his family this evening. The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank everyone who was involved in this mission.”

Burleigh was reported missing on May 7 after he failed to return home from a camping trip. When he was first reported missing, family members said Burleigh, a fisherman, was believed to have attempted to walk into the lakes to fish before going home.

As the search continued over the past two weeks, Burleigh’s family and friends had been leaving signs and food, hoping Burleigh would find them.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team was supported by 16 other agencies and organizations.

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