The search for a missing camper has an incredibly happy ending.
The North District RCMP confirmed Sam Benastick was located yesterday (Tuesday), after being reported missing on October 19th.
According to police, two people were headed to the Redfern Lake Trail for work, where they saw a man working towards them.
When they approached, they recognized him as Sam Benastick.
The two men took Benastick to the hospital, where police confirmed his identity.
He told police he had stayed in his vehicle for a couple of days, and then walked to a mountainside creek where he camped out for 10-15 days.
He then moved down to the valley, where he had built a camp and a shelter in a dried-out creek bed.
After that he had made his way to where he flagged down the two men who brought him to safety.
“Finding Sam alive is the absolute best outcome,” said Cpl. Madonna Saunderson of the North District RCMP.
“After all the time he was missing, it was feared that this would not be the outcome.”
Michael Reid, General Manager of the Buffalo Inn in Pink Mountain hosted Benastick’s family at his hotel while the search was ongoing.
“They stayed here for 24 days,” Reid said.
“I gave them some free breakfast, supper most of the time so they can keep their money so they can rent the helicopter so they can keep looking for their son.”
He noted it was an emotional time during their stay.
“Yesterday I didn’t even know he was found,” Reid said.
“I was texting the father, just seeing how he was doing, and just to let me know if they were okay, and within a minute later he called me and they had found him.”
Reid noted the family is going to stop in after they leave the hospital in Fort Nelson.
“It’s just a happy ending, it’s unbelievable, they’ll have a great Christmas this year.”
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