He's Alive
To begin with, the doctor's family and the local police were both relying on the fact that Carlos would still be dwelling in the same campsite. But what if they didn't find him? What if he had already fled to his next hiding spot? Secondly, even if they did find him, that didn't mean he would agree to come back home.
After all, if he had been living alone out in the wild for so many years, it had probably been for a reason! "We will respect his wishes and his freedom, but we won't go home until we have at least given him a hug, even for a few moments," said Amelia.
Introducing Dr. Salazar
Carlos Sanchez Ortiz de Salazar had always dreamed to become a doctor and he built a successful career at a very young age. By the time he turned 26, he had already obtained a degree in psychology, learned to master different languages, and had started working as a physician in Spain.
Dr. Salazar was known for being intellectual, responsible, and persevering. However, while he had quickly made a name for himself in the medicine field, he was also under a lot of pressure, to the point that he suffered from depression and stress.
Back To The Campsite
Carlos' family and the Italian officers organized a search in order to track down the former doctor. The hikers led them to the abandoned campsite where they had found Carlos just a couple of days earlier.
When the family reached the campsite, Carlos was nowhere to be seen. It was pretty obvious that he didn't want to be found, but why? What had driven him to become such a hermit?
Nowhere To Be Found
One day, Dr. Salazar disappeared off the face of the earth. He didn't leave a trace so it was hard for police officers to have a starting point in the search. There was absolutely no trail to follow.
Carlos' family an friends were desperate to find him and they even collaborated with the police by organizing search groups. Sadly, after searching for him for years, the police confirmed that Carlos was presumed dead.
What He Left Behind
It seemed that the former doctor had lost his sense of hygiene, because when the policemen reached the campsite, they found nothing but trash all over the place. Bottles, clothing, and cans were scattered all over the place.
Unwilling to give up hope, Amelia searched all throughout the area and hoped that the security forces would immediately launch a search mission covering the whole forest. However, the local police wasn't willing to do that. Can you guess why?
A Random Group Of Hikers
However, five years after Dr. Salazar was presumed dead, there was an unexpected twist in the case. Far away from home, on the other side of the Mediterranean, a group of hikers made a surprising discovery.
By the end of 2015, a group of friends was in the middle of a trek across the hidden mountains of Maremma, Italy, when they set off in search of some edible mushrooms. I know what you're thinking: what do the mushrooms have to do with the missing doctor?
Police Statement
The Italian authorities believed that Carlos' case wasn't really that of a missing person. He was choosing to live far from civilization by his own will, so there was no point for the police in focusing so much of their time and resources into finding him.
"We will continue to keep an eye out in the forest, but we won't be actively searching for anybody. This is not the responsibility of the council and after all, he is hiding of his own free will," said the Italian city manager, Marcello Stella.
An Unexpected Finding
Maremma is a region were mushy and large mushrooms can be found in abundance. The hikers had barely brought any food provisions with them, so they really counted on picking some food from the ground. However, their quest for mushrooms proved to be more challenging than they imagined.
They couldn't find any edible ones near the track, so they decided to regroup and dig into the forest. As they made their way through Italy's wilderness, they spotted piles of garbage that led them to something absolutely chilling...
They Weren't Giving Up
Unwilling to give up, the Salazar family spent the next couple of days searching for their son, but found nothing. The forest was huge and the weather was damp, making their quest all the more challenging.
But they weren't planning on giving up just yet. Since Carlos' father had to work, they had to fly back to Spain, but they vowed to come back in search for him. But did anyone keep on looking for him once the doctor's family went back to Spain?
The Abandoned Camp
After following the trail of trash, they came across a camp right in the middle of the forest. Nothing but trees and bushes could be seen, not even animals. There were also a few tin cans filled with rainwater.
Even though the camp seemed to be totally abandoned, they figured it was a decent resting place. However, as they went on to explore the area, the hikers realized they weren't alone...
The Search Continues
Even though Dr. Salazar clearly didn't want to be found, his family contacted Missing Persons, who kept on searching for him while Amalia and her husband were back in Spain.
"We will continue to follow this case and help Salazar's family with the hope that one day they can embrace the son who left hem... all those years ago," said the NGO's spokesman Nicodemo Gentile.
Look Who We Found!
Surprisingly, a man came out of the camp. He looked quite deteriorated and had a nasty look on his face. His beard was nearly one foot long and his face was grubby. What was he doing there?
Panic-stricken, the hikers rushed back to their starting point, not even daring to confront the mysterious man. They came across a forest ranger to whom they told what they saw. The forest ranger went back to the camp to see the man for himself, hoping to interrogate him.
Unresolved Mystery
Many years have passed since then, and Carlos was never found again. His family flew back to Italy and searched for him for weeks, but they weren't even close to tracking him down.
The fact that someone would leave everything behind to start his life from scratch in the middle of a remote, inhospitable place just bewilders me. However, believe it or not, Salazar's case has several precedents. Up next is the story of Everett Reuss, which is equally perplexing.
Questioning The Wild Man
The hikers led the ranger to the campsite and the mystery man was unwillingly interrogated. He confessed that his name was Carlos and that the camp had been his home since 1997.
Doubting whether he was saying the truth, the ranger demanded he show him some sort of identity. Following a deep sigh, the man reached into his coat pocket and handed over his ID. Indeed, his name was Carlos Sanchez Ortiz de Salazar.
Everett Ruess And His Journey
Everett was born in 1914 in Oakland, CA. His dad, Christopher, was a probation officer, while his mom, Stella, was a poet and an artist. As he grew into adulthood, Everett took a liking to philosophy and poetry, just like his parents.
In thIne summer of 1930, just when he was planning on going to college, he abruptly left everything behind to start his own adventure. He hitchhiked from Oakland to Carmel-By-The-Sea, California. What he didn't know was that this adventure was about to change his life entirely...
A Tightly Kept Secret
While the hikers weren't sure how long he had lived there, but by the looks of him it seemed that it had not been less than two or three years. But above all, they wondered how he had managed to live all those years in that campsite going unnoticed, or even how he managed to survive out there in the wild.
Meanwhile, the man seemed to be troubled by the fact that his hiding spot had finally been revealed. He was probably thinking which his next shelter would be, but destiny had other plans for him.
Wild Adventures
After a few months on the road, Everett reached the town of Escalante, Utah, with two burros by his side. This town had been built by Mormons back in 1876, so having visitors in town was quite unusual for the locals.
Everett put up his tent in the outskirts of the city, close to the riverbank. Even though the people of Escalante weren't used to receiving visitors, they would still reach out to him, curious of getting to know him better.
Let Everybody Know He's Alive
The group of hikers insisted on reporting everything to the police. After all, what if the man's family or friends were currently searching for him?
Sly as a fox, they took some pictures of his ID behind his back, and as soon as they got back from the hike, they contacted the Spanish consulate the local police. But what happened then?
Where Did He Go?
Everett grew a liking to the Escalante people, especially with the kids. He would always give them a ride on his burros, and it wasn't long before he started being invited to spend some nights in town every now and then.
He was pretty much turning into a local, but after a few weeks, he packed his belongings and mysteriously vanished into the desert. No one saw Everett again. However, several decades later, this happened...
Off To Italy
It wasn't long before the news reached the Spanish police, and the authorities called Carlos' parents, who immediately booked a ticket to Italy. They were both shocked and excited upon learning that their beloved son was alive.
"It was as if our son had been born again," said Amelia, Carlos' mother, wiping her tears. She was so happy that his son had finally been found and couldn't stop sobbing. But there was still one problem...
David Roberts' Search
As crazy as it sounds, 65 years later, a man by the name David Roberts set out to find the missing man, Everett Ruess. David worked for National Geographic Magazine where he wrote about adventure stories, so he figured this would make the perfect anecdote.
David started his search in the place where Everett had last reportedly been seen: Escalante. He first visited Norm Christensen, the last person who saw the missing man alive. By that time, Norm was already 74 years old.
He's Alive
To begin with, the doctor's family and the local police were both relying on the fact that Carlos would still be dwelling in the same campsite. But what if they didn't find him? What if he had already fled to his next hiding spot? Secondly, even if they did find him, that didn't mean he would agree to come back home.
After all, if he had been living alone out in the wild for so many years, it had probably been for a reason! "We will respect his wishes and his freedom, but we won't go home until we have at least given him a hug, even for a few moments," said Amelia.
The Testimony
Norm told David everything he knew about Everett. Apparently, the day he had left, he had headed south into the desert of Utah, near the famous landmark Hole in the Rock.
David also talked to Melvin Alvey, who had also met Everett and was 91 years old at the time. To the journalist's surprise, neither of them seemed to be surprised by Everett's disappearance. On the contrary, they claimed that he had always been of the adventurous type, so wandering out to the desert sure sounded like him!
Back To The Campsite
Carlos' family and the Italian officers organized a search in order to track down the former doctor. The hikers led them to the abandoned campsite where they had found Carlos just a couple of days earlier.
When the family reached the campsite, Carlos was nowhere to be seen. It was pretty obvious that he didn't want to be found, but why? What had driven him to become such a hermit?
Multiple Witnesses
To his surprise, David also came upon several eye witnesses who claimed to have seen Everett a week after he left Escalante. But who were these people?
These witnesses were eighty or ninety-year-old shepherds and cattlemen who hadn't really had the chance to talk to him, but had seen him passing by their lands. There was no other record proving that Escalante was alive, so going on with the story seemed a bit far-fetched.
What He Left Behind
It seemed that the former doctor had lost his sense of hygiene, because when the policemen reached the campsite, they found nothing but trash all over the place. Bottles, clothing, and cans were scattered all over the place.
Unwilling to give up hope, Amelia searched all throughout the area and hoped that the security forces would immediately launch a search mission covering the whole forest. However, the local police wasn't willing to do that. Can you guess why?
Returned Letter
After doing some fieldwork, David also found out that the police had dispatched a search mission a few months after Everett's disappearance. While they had managed to track down his burros, Everett was never found, and he was presumed dead a few years later.
Police Statement
The Italian authorities believed that Carlos' case wasn't really that of a missing person. He was choosing to live far from civilization by his own will, so there was no point for the police in focusing so much of their time and resources into finding him.
"We will continue to keep an eye out in the forest, but we won't be actively searching for anybody. This is not the responsibility of the council and after all, he is hiding of his own free will," said the Italian city manager, Marcello Stella.
They Weren't Giving Up
Unwilling to give up, the Salazar family spent the next couple of days searching for their son, but found nothing. The forest was huge and the weather was damp, making their quest all the more challenging.
But they weren't planning on giving up just yet. Since Carlos' father had to work, they had to fly back to Spain, but they vowed to come back in search for him. But did anyone keep on looking for him once the doctor's family went back to Spain?
#4. No Signs Of Him
The Search Continues
Even though Dr. Salazar clearly didn't want to be found, his family contacted Missing Persons, who kept on searching for him while Amalia and her husband were back in Spain.
"We will continue to follow this case and help Salazar's family with the hope that one day they can embrace the son who left hem... all those years ago," said the NGO's spokesman Nicodemo Gentile.
#3. Guilty
What's interesting is that one of the cattlemen declared himself guilty of murdering Everett. His name was Keith Riddle and he confessed to Norm Christensen that he had committed the crime. However, Keith died in 1984 so there was no way to determine the credibility of the story, as there was no evidence available.
Unresolved Mystery
Many years have passed since then, and Carlos was never found again. His family flew back to Italy and searched for him for weeks, but they weren't even close to tracking him down.
The fact that someone would leave everything behind to start his life from scratch in the middle of a remote, inhospitable place just bewilders me. However, believe it or not, Salazar's case has several precedents. Up next is the story of Everett Reuss, which is equally perplexing.
#2. New Discovery
A decade ago, in 2008, a man claimed that he saw Everett Ruess being killed. After 74 years of mystery, there seemed to be some hope. The remains of a skeleton were found lying at Comb Ridge, just 60 miles apart from where Everett was camping. The remains were taken to carry out DNA tests.
Everett Ruess And His Journey
Everett was born in 1914 in Oakland, CA. His dad, Christopher, was a probation officer, while his mom, Stella, was a poet and an artist. As he grew into adulthood, Everett took a liking to philosophy and poetry, just like his parents.
In thIne summer of 1930, just when he was planning on going to college, he abruptly left everything behind to start his own adventure. He hitchhiked from Oakland to Carmel-By-The-Sea, California. What he didn't know was that this adventure was about to change his life entirely...
#1. DNA Results
It was disappointing to see that there was no match between the remains and Everett's nephews and nieces. The disappearance of Everett Ruess is still a mystery that no one was able to solve. As for Dr. Salazar, there is still some hope that he is soon found alive.
Wild Adventures
After a few months on the road, Everett reached the town of Escalante, Utah, with two burros by his side. This town had been built by Mormons back in 1876, so having visitors in town was quite unusual for the locals.
Everett put up his tent in the outskirts of the city, close to the riverbank. Even though the people of Escalante weren't used to receiving visitors, they would still reach out to him, curious of getting to know him better.
Where Did He Go?
Everett grew a liking to the Escalante people, especially with the kids. He would always give them a ride on his burros, and it wasn't long before he started being invited to spend some nights in town every now and then.
He was pretty much turning into a local, but after a few weeks, he packed his belongings and mysteriously vanished into the desert. No one saw Everett again. However, several decades later, this happened...
David Roberts' Search
As crazy as it sounds, 65 years later, a man by the name David Roberts set out to find the missing man, Everett Ruess. David worked for National Geographic Magazine where he wrote about adventure stories, so he figured this would make the perfect anecdote.
David started his search in the place where Everett had last reportedly been seen: Escalante. He first visited Norm Christensen, the last person who saw the missing man alive. By that time, Norm was already 74 years old.
The Testimony
Norm told David everything he knew about Everett. Apparently, the day he had left, he had headed south into the desert of Utah, near the famous landmark Hole in the Rock.
David also talked to Melvin Alvey, who had also met Everett and was 91 years old at the time. To the journalist's surprise, neither of them seemed to be surprised by Everett's disappearance. On the contrary, they claimed that he had always been of the adventurous type, so wandering out to the desert sure sounded like him!
Multiple Witnesses
To his surprise, David also came upon several eye witnesses who claimed to have seen Everett a week after he left Escalante. But who were these people?
These witnesses were eighty or ninety-year-old shepherds and cattlemen who hadn't really had the chance to talk to him, but had seen him passing by their lands. There was no other record proving that Escalante was alive, so going on with the story seemed a bit far-fetched.
Lack Of Evidence
The cattlemen also told David that the police had dispatched a search mission a few months after Everett's disappearance. While they had managed to track down his burros, Everett was never found and was presumed dead a few years later.
David also found out that one of the cattlemen, Keith Riddle, had declared himself guilty of murdering Everett. However, Keith died in 1984 before any investigation was set up.
#3. Guilty
What's interesting is that one of the cattlemen declared himself guilty of murdering Everett. His name was Keith Riddle and he confessed to Norm Christensen that he had committed the crime. However, Keith died in 1984 so there was no way to determine the credibility of the story, as there was no evidence available.
#2. New Discovery
A decade ago, in 2008, a man claimed that he saw Everett Ruess being killed. After 74 years of mystery, there seemed to be some hope. The remains of a skeleton were found lying at Comb Ridge, just 60 miles apart from where Everett was camping. The remains were taken to carry out DNA tests.
#1. DNA Results
It was disappointing to see that there was no match between the remains and Everett's nephews and nieces. The disappearance of Everett Ruess is still a mystery that no one was able to solve. As for Dr. Salazar, there is still some hope that he is soon found alive.