+Fascinating Horror I really appreciate the extra descriptive details in your narration of this video... it really heightens the horror of the situation the poor victim finds himself in .. great work !
I was more in the range of .025% to -.05%. I mean, I'm claustrophobic so I pretty much only had the nerve to step a few yards into a cave that has a gigantic opening...like mammoth cave park. Other than that, a few feet in and I'm ready for 3 xanax and a paper bag to breathe into.
Fam, I wouldn’t even walk in a cave let alone crawl, there’s just something eerie about being ‘in the Earth’, like the stomach of a beast that can consume you at any moment. I feel uncomfortable looking at the plans of the caves John was in, wouldn’t do it for anything period!
@@pindasangha2883 Most basements of houses are technically under ground. XD (jokes aside Caving sounds like a death sentence, I can sit by a large cave entrance or even get on my knees. But the moment I see more cave im turning my ass around)
I was maybe 3-400 feet into a cave a few years back. Up until that point the tightest place was a descent that was maybe 3 feet wide and I didn't have an issue with that, and the roof once I entered was around 5 feet at the lowest and 15 at the highest. There was a tiny hole in the floor that was maybe 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall which led into another set of chambers, and trying to go into that is one of the most terrifying things I've ever done and I backed out almost immediately. Something about tiny underground spaces is utterly terrifying and seems to go against our very human nature and I regard anyone who can descend into those places with immense respect, but I also think they're maniacs.
As someone who works in construction and has had to work in confined spaces that are about as safe as humans can make the them I do not understand why someone would chance willingly going into a natural cave formation for leisure
The rescuer that got himself stuck in there trying to help him is one of the bravest soul I have ever heard of. He literally pushed himself into hell for some guy he had never even met.
Brings to mind the soccer team than got trapped in a cave in Thailand - took a team of many experts to scuba them out, and a navy seal (Thai navy) died in the process. Some places nature just doesn’t intend us to go!
I find it also interesting that previously, a 16 year old boy was stuck in the exact same place as John did. It seems like they should have blocked the area off or perhaps even put signs warning people that the area was not the actual birth canal. Such a tragic story. And for John a horrific way to go.
@@pippetandpossum yeah I thought the same. Would have been better to block that sideway and have a memorial there. Having the cave explorers come and be at the split, so they really feel how important it is to be careful. That sounds like a better plan to me too.
The first caver who found the cave entered the same tunnel, however after facing the 45 degree downward (not the 80-90 degree downward angle where John got stuck) angle he quickly realized that it was a mistake and wriggle himself out. I agree he should warm others about the dangerous tunnel. But like we all see from the map, it looks like the farthest/deepest part of the cave and the entrance is very narrow, so maybe he thought there was no need to warn other? 25k visitors a year and no one other than John and had ever enter the tunnel. I read some comments about teenagers (boy scouts ) got stuck before, however I also read I happened in different part of the cave named "Scout trap" .
In Alabama there’s a cave considered safe enough for children that barely has any safety railing and long, deep drop offs that will literally kill people so I think the use of “beginner friendly” seems to be loose
@@adrenalinewill it is not beginning friendly. I have caved most of my life. A good beginner cave is one with no struggle. With open rooms from time to time. And best with 2 mouths to the cave. If your back touches the ceiling when on your stomach, it is dangerous. Maybe, it could be called a beginner "claustrophobic cave". But yeah, I made that mistake once. My brothers couldn't fit in this one tunnel, so they sent me because I was the smallest, so that we could see if it opened up at some point. They ended up having to pull me back out. Never did anything that tight again. I rather crab crawl under low ceilings then take that chance again.
I think it got that reputation because a bunch of drunk college students used to go in the cave for drunk midnight adventures (before it was gated off and access was limited). Although small, I think the first part of the cave was beginner friendly, but anything past “the big slide” was probably more challenging and dangerous, I don’t think the drunk college kids ever went that far into the cave
No way in hell am i going there, let alone step foot inside the cave i would be willing to drive there, take a picture of the cave entrance and leave and never return.
This really messes me up when I think about it. Not only for the poor guy who was trapped but his family who were with him too. Can you imagine if that was your loved one, that would destroy me.
Utahn here, this story left such impact on everyone when it happened. There's a thing I think some people don't realize about these mountains that surround us. Being so close to them for so long makes you forget: If the Rocky Mountains get a chance to swallow you whole, you'll be lucky if she spits out your corpse. Stay safe, folks. Never underestimate the dangers of something, even if it's considered "beginner friendly".
Lonely-You are so right! I lived in Park City for 11 years and the number of highly skilled skiers caught in avalanches by skiing the bowls or off trail amazed me. I live in San Diego now and as you say, the Ocean becomes such a part of your being that it is easy to forget and underestimate the power of the waves!
I used to do a lot of caving, but once I found a narrow passage going up at a shallow incline, and decided to try it. I couldn't wear my safety hat in that space, it wouldn't fit. I turned my head a bit, and could see that the roof appeared to be loose rock. A few feet further on, the passage ended. !!! I had to consider that I was trapped. After careful thought, I realised that my overalls would bunch up if I tried to back out. Somehow, I'd have to turn around in the bulb shape at the end of the passage. That was really scary. Slowly, I then slid down the passage, and out. Outside, to see the sky full of stars convinced me never to go caving again.
I understand the thrill people may wanted until i saw a stupid youtuber who went to a cave alone and suddenly flooded. There is a thin line between being stupid and crazy
It's fortunate that you were in the opposite predicament to the guy in this video and that gravity was in your favor. So I'm assuming that you had nobody behind you, that could pull you out? That's quite risky just by itself.
The scariest aspect to me as how helpless everyone was in this situation. Like all the proper authorities were notified, they had tons of equipment and trained rescuers. And it just didn't matter.
Ya a big problem is the distance he is in the cave. Example they make a electric Jackhammer but that is too far to run extension cord maybe they could of run 10-2 wire down to him to run the jackhammer but that wire is heavy and awkward to handle ( in a normal situation)
There are some phobias that are innate, natural fears, left over from our uncivilized ancestors. Fear of heights, fear of spiders, or snakes, and the fear of dark, enclosed spaces. Those fears evolved because they kept us alive.
Cindy Lewis Over the years I’ve come to terms with my fear of spiders and snakes and I even quite like them now ,but nothing could ever persuade me to enter a cave or enjoy the view from a high building or cliff. Like you say some innate fears are there to protect us.xx
ITHEREONETHATHASNT I feel bad for you that you were born with the inability to use any ability to put yourself in other peoples shoes or have empathy, but such is life
I'm actually more afraid of wide open spaces. Which makes sense as an innate fear bc you can't hide very easily (from predators for example) in wide open spaces. I feel safer in small spaces. I've got the opposite of claustrophobia. I hide. Claustrophobia isn't universal. Neither are those other fears you mentioned.
@@mksabourinable Innate, not universal. If evolution worked universally in the same way we would all be exactly the same. Opposite of claustrophobia is agoraphobia if I'm correct
The rescuers are true heroes. Even though they couldn’t succeed just imagine going down there; the kind of talent, skill and nerves of steel you’d need. So sorry for John’s family.
You ain't kidding. I wouldn't go in there willingly, yet it is these rescuers' job to do so. What happened to this John Jones guy is my worst nightmare. RIP John.
They saved two young children in separate incidents in the same part of the cave with the same pulley system. Jones was just to heavy and the pulley system would not support his weight. As horrific as this was I could not imagine waiting with a child for 5 hours trapped in this situation waiting for rescuers.
One thing about these stories I love, is that when someone gets stuck or goes missing, there is ALWAYS someone willing to attempt a search . Often, hundreds of people voluteer and show up to help, just on like a 15% chance of saving a total stranger from a horrible fate. Thats a wonderful human urge
And, of course, when they declared this cave (most of which was so narrow that you had to literally crawl to get through) "beginner-friendly" they never thought of sealing off or marking the parts that were unexplored and thus not to be ventured into. Because who would ever get lost in a set of dark extremely narrow passages and take the wrong turn? In my opinion a "beginner-friendly" cave is one that you can walk upright completely through, with the correct path being clearly marked. Anything harder than that isn't "beginner-friendly".
@@doctorspockable i'll have to agree with Kalum there beginner-friendly should be something that would introduce you to a real caving experience in a safe environment, crawling isn't hard if you've ever been under a bed you know that with enough space over your head moving isn't an issue you also have to remember caving is an extreme sport that you exercise for the adrenaline, what a beginner friendly cave needs are instructor people that can accompany newbies and remind experienced folks that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer and that you're still in a fucking tunnel underground in the dark which continues on for miles and miles
@@MikaMikhailMikhailovich I didn't say more dangerous levels of caving were banned, did I? Most beginners, especially if its your first time underground, would prefer a little more space. Standing up, possibly crouching, not squeezing through a tunnel where it's in on all sides. You're right that they should have had guides there, but the key part of your first sentence was "safe environment". Nutty Putty was not a beginner cave. If you have to squeeze through gaps, it's not for beginners unless you have an experienced guide, which this group didn't. It also didn't help this was a) John's first time in the cave and b) it was already 8pm when they entered.
This is one of the saddest stories I've heard in a while. He got so close to being rescued, only to slip back into his grave. I can't imagine the pain he must have felt, nor how terrible it must have been for his family and the rescue team
This is the only video on this guy I've seen that mentions him being pulled high enough to make eye contact with the rescuer and him slipping back down. Horrific.
@@TruthTe11er Other sources mention that the space was so narrow they couldn't pull him out because his feet almost touched the ceiling and the only posibility to get him out was to break his legs. He was in an inverted L, facing the wrong direction. The problem always was that there was no room at all and literally nothing could be done if he wasn't able to at least turn around.
At that point if I was in that situation I would’ve been begging someone to just kill me so I wouldn’t have to suffer any longer. Even if it was possible to survive a second attempt, I wouldn’t have the emotional strength to have them try again
I have really bad claustrophobia, so the thought of being stuck (or even in the cave in the first place) makes me genuinely panic. Poor, poor man, what a horrible death.
Full agreement on that. What an awefull moment for his family. Aparently a cave system used by thousands didnt need any signs to direct people on the correct path
Even though I’ve seen this video before and know what happens, I still root for John and the rescuers every time as though it’s possible things will go differently this time I watch it.
I know he is dead, so he doesn't feel anything anymore, but I'm horrified of the thought that he remained there... I would go so insane from grief knowing that my loved one is entombed in a cave, upside down with no hope of proper burial and last goodbyes...
Anastasia Zamurujev That’s what I’ve always said about this case. They really should’ve taken his body out. So sad for his family to know he’s down there like that. And so morbid in general.
@@janicesmith5974 well his family is the one who requested to leave him there. The passage way was far too narrow with only one way out, trying to pull him out is basically like fighting backward against a water current and it was risky even to the rescuers.
@@janicesmith5974 Taking his body out would have required other people to risk their lives. Would you rather have two (or more) dead people instead of just one, just to retrieve a corpse that is beyond feeling or caring, so you can put it back in the ground in a different place? That would be madness. If it were my loved one, I wouldn't want to risk the life of a single other person.
Well remember, the part he went to explore was def not marked for beginners considering it had never been explored. I feel like there should’ve been mandatory guides.
Yeah it doesn't sound very fun for anyone considering how narrow they're describing it but maybe I only think that because you couldn't pay me enough money to enter any cave
Nope. There was no chance because of the angle he was stuck in. Only way was to break his legs which would have caused a shock and would have killed him as well. So the only only way could have been if he wasnt stupid enough to stick his head into every hole and went feet first instead.
@@deprofundis3293 Caves like these barely ever have signage and are intended to be left as close to their natural state as possible. The responsibility of safely navigating the cave lies on the caver.
I had this train of thought too, but then I remember skiing/snowboarding is the exact same way. You have green designated slopes and bunny slopes, both the easiest slopes, but if you veer off the path just 10 feet you could suddenly find yourself in sheer steep "backcountry" territory.
I'm a Utah caver, I was in Nutty Putty a month before this happened. When I went in, I was told this cave was especially tricky and had a history of people getting stuck. It didn't require rope work but we knew it wasn't "for beginners". Not sure where you're getting that
Yeah I've heard this story before and except for the ending it was a very different story. I mean they closed it off once because it was too dangerous.
Never been in a cave so perhaps there is something I don't understand... but. It seems stupid crawling head first down a narrow vertical tunnel. What was he thinking? Maybe you get disoriented in caves and don't know what is up or down? I donno.
@@atnfn I think it was probably because he thought he was in one of the charted "safe" tunnels, which means that he maybe thought at some point the tunnel was gonna get wider enough to turn back. Since it's vertical it's also possible that he simply slipped down without meaning to. I dunno, it seemed stupid to me as well, but I'd never crawl in a fuckin tunnel in the first place. I'm 5'2, so the moment I cannot stand in a cave, mine or tunnel, I'm out lol
@@DeadKraken I've done a little polar bear caving (so narrow it's not even crawling), which was fun. But that was in Mammoth Cave, with a tour guide making sure nobody got lost.
And it's not like this guy got into this situation by an unforeseen accident. It mean, it's not a true accident, like getting stuck in a fragile building in an earthquake, or a car crash. He chose to go down into that cave for entertainment purposes. This guy had a wife and a kid, so why he would take those risks, I don't know. At age 26, he should have known better.
@@terminallove3531 Might be safe-ish, but climbing into a cave would still carry some risk. There's a reason the average person doesn't go spelunking in unlit caves for fun. It's because it can be dangerous. If you have a family, there are safe alternatives "tourist traps," like Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, or the Ohio Caverns, for a couple examples.
@@hamsterama I agree. Painful indeed for his family and friends, but he chose to go down there at NINE OCLOCK AT NIGHT. Tell me that isn't reckless. He also endangered the rescuers.
same, I shuddered when the cross-section images were shown, I'm not even claustrophobic, but god damn if I'll EVER put my body into such a small space.
I have so much respect for rescue teams. They work as hard as they can, putting everything else but saving people out of their minds and do their best. The vicarious trauma (and their own) that they experience would be enough to make most people stay far, far away from these jobs. The rescues that fail must weigh heavily on them. I know I’d have nightmares and flashbacks. I can’t imagine what everyone went through
Nah he's dead now that being a release from the terror of being stuck there waiting for possible rescue. I mean after we die our bodies are just waste material our soul or whatever gets to leave.
If it were my loved one stuck in there, I would not be able to rest. It's just the thought of his remains, stuck there, forever, all alone. Such a sad story.
The fact that some find jamming themselves further and further into a dark artery lined with rock ‘relaxing’ and ‘fun’ makes me want to reevaluate literally everything ever.
I'm sure they don't find it relaxing, more like adrenaline rushing. That said I completely understand your point and I agree. I've had enough nightmares about getting stuck in tight spaces I know my anxiety would never allow that kind of hobby.
This is my worst nightmare, I can't imagine the horror of what John, his family, friends, and Rescue workers endured. I hope his wife and child have lots of happy recorded memories of his short life to treasure.
Very horrifying. I pray that God gives comfort after such a story. Someday when Christ comes, all pain will be wiped out. We pray John is raised to receive Christ.
I dont get why they couldn't drill him out. I really wish I could have heard the onsluaght of suggestions by the people involved in the rescue. I mean, with all the technology we have to day... It seems it should have been doable??
Skip Skylark not in a tunnle that narrow, how do you expect them to even fit the tools down there? Plus, thats solid rock on rock on rock, no way they would he able to chip that away in time It was an inpossible situation, judging by the shape of the passage he shouldnt had even been able to get his legs through there. But he somehow did
I don't think the drills could be positioned to do much, explosives were the only thing to move that rock, and well, you know the outcome. These guys that squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices, I don't get it.
I am at 4:29 and specifically came looking for a comment like this. As soon as it was described how he crawled down a tight passage, I was creeped out. I could not imagine doing something like this.
I’ve always had “stress dreams” (not scary enough to be nightmares) about having to squeeze through tight spaces very quickly. I’m not claustrophobic, but something about the combination of close spaces and time limits is so anxiety inducing. This story takes it to an entirely different level of horrifying.
I know what you mean. I've had dreams where I've been trapped inside a cave no bigger than, say, a cupboard under the stairs. And the narrative of the dream is that I don't ever escape. No one is coming to rescue me. It is f*cking terrifying!! I've also been buried in an avalanche and been stuck in a capsized ship while the water level rises. God knows why the f*ck I'd dream such things!! 😳😳
Strong likelihood you're reliving birth memories. I had these types of dreams for years before connecting the dots with what I knew about my birth, and then suddenly it all made sense.
Interesting, I used to have recurring dreams of finding myself at the top of a radio tower usually in the Flatlands of something like Kansas where you can see the quilt work of the fields from something like 2000 or 3,000 feet. It was a very precarious feeling to be on the platform. Because it was a recurring dream I assume it had meaning somewhere in my unconscious but I never was able to figure out what it was. Haven't had one of those for about 3 decades. I used to have all kinds of disaster dreams, recurring many times. Dreams where the details changes but the basic idea is the same with the disasters ranging from tsunamis to tornadoes to volcanic eruptions and downbursts. In all cases it appeared that there was no Escape so naturally they were frightening but still not actually nightmares . I've only had five or six Bonafide nightmares in my life and I'm 76 . That period of different styles of natural disasters lasted about 5 years, from about 35 to 40 years old.
Red flag one for me would have been when they said “here’s a great beginner cave, only you have to crawl”.. Just listening to this made my skin crawl, absolutely horrifying.
"Beginner cave" does not mean a tourist cave, it means a cave that lacks a lot of immediate danger. It means a cave where you don't have to swim, where you won't fall down random 40 foot pits, fall of ledges, etc. It has nothing to do with how much crawling is involved - as crawling is not anything out of the ordinary for a beginning cave explorer. I think many people here are confusing 'beginner cave' with the idea that its a cave appropriate for lay people to go exploring around in - and that is NOT what it means.
@@landonp629 Appreciate the info. But bear in mind most people have no idea about cave exploring and won't know the terminology, and therefore without any explanation will think "beginner cave" = "cave for beginners", which in the mind of people who've never done cave exploring means you have freedom of movement.
@@landonp629 Thanks for clarifying that. I hear "beginner cave" and I'm thinking walking upright, bats, stalactites, school kids in Jordans sneaking off for a smoke...
I grew up in Utah and explored the nutty putty caves with a group of friends, all young teens. I had no experience and didn't know what i was getting myself into. We had a fun time and all got out with no issue. Watching these videos about John makes me almost paralyzed with fear, knowing it could easily have been me. I'm glad these caves are sealed off now. Even being an invulnerable teenager, I felt uneasy when I was down in those caves.
I always refused when friends would go in the early 2000s. I am claustrophobic and it made me nervous to even think about going inside. When this tragedy unfolded I was horrified. My future husband almost asked me on a group date there and felt he shouldn't do so, am glad he did not!
I've been through the birth canal and back, twice. I'm 130 lbs, and it was tight for me, and I had friends way bigger than me size go through it somehow..... I still don't understand how they did it.
@@CoIoneIPanic It would destroy the caves so there was absolutely no chance someone could illegally enter them after they were sealed off and meet the same tragic fate.
Well yeah because he knew he wasn't close to death and the guy that was trapped was, obviously you would still worry about someone that was gonna die if you had a bit of a injury, honestly your comment is very dumb.
When I first read about this I felt sick and had trouble falling asleep. I think this is one of the most horrific deaths I could imagine. Slowly dying over the course of many hours, confined in that position in the tiniest space, in pain, knowing full well it was his own doing that got him there. I truly hope he rests in peace and in a better place.
Honestly props to the landowner. This is a case where many caving sites would probably attempt to sweep it under the rug, but this guy was so appalled he actually wanted to dynamite the cave.
I can't imagine being a family member knowing his body is still stuck down there. I know it's been sealed but part of me is just so uncomfortable with that
@@kaytea0963 agreed, especially since he wanted so badly to get out. I hate that his final resting place is literally the place where he went through hell, and now his body is trapped there forever.
Ya same. It's not like his body was removed and he got a proper burial. He's still there, upside-down in a dark cave wearing the same clothes 12 years later
As opposed to being buried underground elsewhere ? AS far as burial sites go, he has an entire cave sytem as his own Tomb. his coffin was created over milllions of years. I think people forget why we bury dead people. Its seems to me people want to bury there dead for convenience. when you bury sombody in a place, its firstly becuase we cant leave dead people laying about, and second becuase it creates a place of memorial. seems to me both needs are filled. I for one would prefer this burial, than being placed in a line with every other smoe that has passed.
I live just about 20 miles from Nutty Putty caves. My dad went there several times growing up. It was always a popular activity for scout troops, and my troop talked about it several times but always ended up doing other activities instead. This tragedy happened before we had a chance to go down there. Just this past year I went out and visited the site and was able to read the plaque and pay my respects. Such a sad tragedy... I remember tuning in to the updates about the rescue operation and being sure that it was just a matter of time before they got him out... sadly it just got worse and worse. It's hard to picture a more horrific and drawn-out death. May he rest in peace.
More drawn out... Look up Floyd Collins. I'm wondering if the family will ever get a shaft dug down to get jones out of nutty putty and get proper burial.
@@AB-mx1de I have done some amateur caving in very similar places. They are just tunnels and holes in the earth that Councils leave open and undeveloped for exploratory fun -- with *complete user liability*. Therefore the golden rules are -- inform someone of arrival and expected departure time, be prepared with proper equipment AND BACK UPS, be fit for the task, take no chances, have good maps and/or use string tracking back to entrance, go with backup mates, no drugs or alcohol, never enter any crawl space you aren't sure you can get out of, beware low oxygen, beware strange odours, set your limits, etc. And most of all, BLAME NOONE ELSE if something goes wrong.
@BobsYourUncle Yep, but just because you can contort your body INTO some passageway doesn't mean you can contort it to get OUT OF that same place. The human body just doesn t work like that. Plus, as you get hotter and push more, you get bigger. Most cavers know this and play safe. And it just isn't necessary to take such risks. And for what? Some fun, some thrills? Some showing off? Blind ambition. No one is saying it in this forum, but that guy was a risk taking idiot. No excuses. He wasn't "unlucky". It wasn't a "dangerous cave". He was just an idiot who didn't play it safe.
can we just have a little moment of respect to the rescuers who are willing to go down there and hurt themselves in the process of it :( may john rest in peace
Yeah, imagine being the last person to spend time with the guy, even being in eye contact just before he fell back down and died... Can't imagine that feeling. (Naturally the same goes for his family and friends too, they mustvve had it even worse but that wasn't the main point here.)
that rescuer, who was named ryan, said afterward that he thought and still thinks about john all the time. he said that they would have been good friends, and it was really hard to deal with even though they only knew each other for hours. he made an impact on all the rescuers. 🥺
i’ve heard that while he was trying to rescue him, john would continuously ask him if he was ok or needed anything:(( they sang and prayed most of the time
I really feel for John but the biggest rule when entering a tight space in caving is never go down head first. You always go legs first because if you get stuck you can still push out. The other issue was it took too long to get cave rescue down there. They called in regular Ems who got stuck themselves and slowed down the rescue. By the time they got to him most of the rescue techniques they could’ve used were unavailable due to his state.
True, but if you wanted to rob theoigh the birth canal you have to rob with face in front. There is a video of someone who was there in 2005 and kf you watch it you understand why.
I like the kinds of caves where you walk along a set, partially paved path and there are railings in even the most benign places. The local guide tells you the same facts about erosion that every cave has while his little dog, who grew up playing on the trails, follows the group around excitedly. The scariest part is where you exit into the gift shop and see the prices for little geode slices with the name of the cave on it and know you're going to end up buying one. *Those* are beginner caves.
Wind Cave in South Dakota is similar but minus dogs/pets. The tour paths are concrete with steps and rails where needed. Take a powerful flashlight on the tour and shine light into the countless branches to see some seriously scary "terrain". The known cave system is huge and rangers say the uncharted is far larger. Authorized cave explorers are still working on charting and finding new branches and rooms. If someone decided to escape the tour and go exploring, well you'd be missed but probably not found.
The only cave I've ever been in had an area where they stored large wheels of cheese, the guided tours were all safe, well lit, railings almost everywhere and no tiny tunnels where I could end up stuck and need my step brothers help
This video makes it seem like he was close and the only that happened was the bolt snapping. That was the last straw indeed, but from what I've seen the angle he was in made actual rescue impossible without completely destroying his legs, which would've probably killed him from shock with how much pain he was in already due to being upside down. Just a really sucky situation.
@@RepresentWV His legs hadn't had a pulse in hours. I'd say give it a try, if they could. But they couldn't, because the rock gave out. That passage should have been closed off after the earlier accident.
@@RepresentWV In fairness, it very well could have been close to rescue - paralyzed or legless, perhaps, maybe even with shock induced brain damage, but alive. The bolt coming loose really put the nail in the coffin though, as brutal as that metaphor is considering it was sealed up to be his tomb (which, can I just say, was remarkably respectful? Especially when the owner wanted to dynamite it.)
Everest is the worst imo. For starters there's the 'rainbow ridge' you'll see. It's really a 'rainbow cemetery'. Called that because the snow is white but the HUNDREDS of dead bodies there have different colored clothing on to present a rainbow of sorts. You'll be thinking about that one a lot harder with the rest of my post... There's little landmarks so the things they use are the dead bodies frozen along the way. See there's a point of no return where all climbers agree 'it's every man for themselves' past that point. This is because you can't carry more supplies than what you yourself need. You can't carry rescue supplies. So it's a 'if you need rescued past this point, you've got to rescue YOURSELF' kind of thing going on. So those landmarks are people who were intentionally not rescued! There's stories of 50+ climbers passing people by on the way up & encountering other climbers who BEGGED them for help. They were still alive for those 50+ people on the way down & they each left them to die & become Everest horror story landmarks that you'll pass by... So when you pass those bodies & see their faces, you're looking at their BEGGING for their life faces frozen from that day forward! Everest also causes people to hallucinate from the thin air. For some reason people get really hot & rip off their clothes & freeze to death. Others jump off the cliff. So when you see these bodies it's a real life fucking reminder of what might happen to you & there's HUNDREDS of bodies there where this shit happened to! Imagine climbing this & your loved one needs helped. Nobody including you can do shit to help them. You'll have to live with that if you live but you'll be dying knowing you'll become a landmark....
@@ClickClack_Bam is this from personal experience? Because....wow. I was thinking while watching this that john is still in that cave, even in death, forever entombed, which i hope isn't true. But hearing your story...i bet those frozen 100s of people still wander that mountain in death. Perhaps they cheer on those nearing the summit that still live? Or do they trek on, eventually reaching the top, and wait there? Heh. The idea of 100s of ghosts sitting atop mount Everest.... that gives one chills, no pun intended.
@@ClickClack_Bam This sounds to be on the opposite end of the spectrum that "being stuck in a tight cave system" might inhabit-- but psychologically speaking. Where death surrounds you in a corporeal, physical form, reminding you of just how close you are to your mortality when up on everest or K2, there's the vast lack of reminders, but all the varying possibilities of different potential ways to die in a cave system lurking in the back of your mind, ready to spring up at a moment's notice. How will I die first if I got stuck in a small crawlspace? Lack of oxygen? Will I die of thirst? Maybe I'll die a week later from hunger, as I slowly come to grips days before that this is how I'm going to die--slowly in the dark, essentially burried alive because my physiology locked me in such a position that only way out was to somehow break my bones and simultaneously crawl backwards and out. I think--personally-- dying in the free environment of Everest, with the cold, and thin air ensuring you definitely won't suffer for much too long after, would be a sort of cold comfort, juxtaposed to being trapped from ever moving again against rock and earth. There's also the lingering hope of being saved--however faint and unlikely--would be far easier than in a cave system under who knows how much tonnage of earth and rock, with every inch you progress into the cave system making it that much harder to get to you. That, and the fact that my body will not be forever lost in an uncharted cave system, but stand as a warning for others to not take plight in my follies, lands Everest as not the worst way to die for me. This is of course, in comparison to an unplanned burial, as you scream for help. But help can only do so much if it ever comes, while youre slowly dying in the span of days, because maybe you're unlucky and could still breathe freely as you cry to the cold void for help that will only be answered in your decay. Good thing no one explores cave systems on their own, and the worst thing to happen while being saved is the caves collapse as they try to drill out an escape.
@@CiaronCinnfhaelidh The same ways exist on Everest to die as in a cave system for the better part of it. Maybe minus the flooding that could happen. You could fall into a deep crevasse. You'll be pinned just like in a caving system but in the Sub-Zero temps. If you can't climb out you're stuck in place just like a cave. Avalanche, rock slide could have you smashed in place & your likelihood of being rescued IS ZERO unlike the few people that have EVER been stuck while caving. So you're a MILLION-fold times safer while caving than on Everest with it's 4% death rate. K2 with it's 30% death rate. Show me ANY cave with those numbers. The reminders on Everest are everywhere. Hundreds of reminders. There are dead bodies everywhere. They're used as landmarks. I think you'd feel different once you've passed by 200 dead bodies & then got yourself stuck in a bad way. No cave system shows you the death, the real death you'll be facing.
@@ClickClack_Bam yes you already said all of that on the other comment...geez...just because thst obviously scares the hell out of you many of us find this situation much scarier @
I've heard this story a dozen times on RUclips. But you present it in the most perfect way possible. All facts, no sensationalism, and just personal enough that we get an honest portrayal and yet feel all the angst of all involved as well.
there's something oddly touching about the caves being plugged off as a resting place for him. a lot of the time you'd have people trying to sweep these incidents under the rug so it's bittersweet that even trapped down there, he has some sort of dignified grave.
I don't know how to feel about that, honestly. On the one hand, what's the point of endangering more lives attempting to recover the body. On the other... he never escaped, not even in death. He's still down there. Still upside-down in the dark. That just feels horrible to me.
I really appreciate how this channel handles death. Emphasis isn't placed on shock and horror, but instead there is a considerable amount of respect given to those who have passed.
i agree. all the vids iv seen on this channel do a good job of remembering the humanity of the victims and it doenst feel as callous as some other similar channels
Check out Mr. Ballen. He’s also very good at storytelling and is respectful of the deaths and even did a story about John Jones’s death which is how I found this channel.
Completely agree. He shows so much respect for the people who lost their lives, and gives people an opportunity to not only learn about them, but also learn from others mistakes.
@MARQUIS de QUEENSBURY 5.0 Pretty sure that fall after the bolt came out killed him. The labored breathing was probably as he passed away from a broken blood vessel in his head. It was already a danger before his whole body dropped suddenly... imagine afterwards.
Yeah im scared of driving or walking into tunnels or under bridges cause they can collapse on you, i would never go in a cave. Thats just my biggest fear. Im not claustrophobic but this is still a big NO
My anxiety about claustrophobic spaces is absolutely EXPLODING as I watch this. I can't even imagine going into a cave and crawling through passages like this. I would be dead from a heart attack before I could even die of anything else. Absolutely horrifying
there was too much foreshadowing for pia not to die like that. if they did do some kind of fight.. that would be defeating the purpose of this episode, i feel, since it would be the most dramatic ending and therefore the most entertaining, the most sadistic
A friend of mine had gone through these caves, the weekend before John got stuck. Several of us had a conversation about the dangers of the cave, which my friend shrugged off. What a horrible way to die. I’m glad they sealed it off.
Am I the only one who would be way too terrified to go into this cave in the first place? How is this fun to people? I guess I’m too scared of dark places and creepy crawlies and the monsters from the descent.
I know! It's not even like it would be cool to see! You have to crawl through it like a damn worm! Caving is not for me, but I get why people wanna go in ones that have rivers and caverns and stalagmites and places they have to rappel past. This crap was nothing but a super tight rock tube they whole entire way. Why?!?
My husband tried to get me to go with him to some caves on our Honeymoon (we went to a Dude Ranch in Arkansas). I had a severe panic attack almost immediately and had to back out. Not my idea of a fun time!!!
God yes the thought of the shit down there alone would keep me out much less the tightness. Then there's not enough freaking air down there so WHY WOULD YOU GO THAT'S NOT FUN. I think people have just grown up romanticizing explorers and want to think they'll find some magical undiscovered crap in these holes. No THANK YOU. AND those that go into holes like this but UNDER WATER are even MORE psycho. Nothing is worth dying for especially a stupid "thrill." The only thrills I want to seek and discoveries I want to make are awesome sales at my local art store. UGH
When you realise claustrophobia is not something that makes you weak but is literally your body and mind making you realise the worst that could happen. Never ignore your body's signs guys.
Uhhh, not really. Every phobia is irrational, that is literally the definition of phobias. If you are actually in danger and are scared, that's normal. If you can't go into a small room because it's small even though it is perfectly structurally sound and there is no danger, you have a problem.
It's a phobia for a reason. It's irrational. Like the other person said you could be perfectly safe even if in your in a tight spot but your brain is making you panic when there's no reason to. Thats not normal. Being genuinely stuck in a cave and not being able to get out isn't claustrophobic. It's being in actual danger and you have every reason to panic.
I remember I was exploring a cave far shallower than this one, and 100% charted. There was one spot where you had to shimmy between the ceiling and the floor and it was so skinny that even a slender person like me had to suck it in to fit through, and even then it was slow going. It probably took about 60 seconds to get through. During that time I thought "if there is an earthquake right now, this is it." I haven't gone caving since. I stick to safer hobbies like motorcycling without full gear.
I hope that worker is doing well. They never mention the futures of the attempted rescuers in these videos but being so involved in such a horrible death has to leave some trauma..
One of my best friends works in wilderness/cave safety, rescue, and mapping. Asked him something akin to "What do you do about trauma from loss on the job" once. His answer was along the lines of, "You just do the best you can for the person in need. Take it as far as you can without becoming another person in need of help from injury, trapped, or lost and, if things go bad, know that you did all you could to save them." He did say a lot of people burn out due to the stress and loss. Which, after watching this video, I am sure you can see why.
@@HolyTurtleOfDoom He (Ryan) was also severely injured when the pulley struck him in the face. I read his tongue was almost cut in half and his upper lip was so swollen it drooped down over his chin. I read an article that gives some updates on the rescue workers, and they definitely experienced trauma as you said. I heard several of them never went into a cave again after that.
only one i think is worse is the mossdale caves incident, they were doing this while the cave got flooded - not only were they stuck but the water rushed in and they drowned too - its quicker but i;d rather have time to say goodbye to my family at least.
You know, I'm used to watch videos on gruesome crimes or weird stuff like that and my tolerance for "horror" stuff is pretty high, but this for some reason hits differently. As you were describing the events unfold, I found myself breathing abnormally, feeling unwell and very anxious. The idea of getting stuck somewhere dark that you cant move a single muscle and slowly dying as you witness rescuers unable to help you... Is just the ultimate nightmare from my perspective. Now seeing how he is a skeleton still stuck down there truly makes my mind uneasy.
Same, when I first heard about this story years ago I was absolutely horrified and disturbed by the entire terrible ordeal of people trying to bring him out and failing. Like playing tug of war with the jaws of a monster only to leave him there. In a dark, cold, claustrophobic cave, alone. I think it’s because every aspect of this story goes against just every person’s inherent fear of suffocatingly small spaces and the dark and being trapped alone. If this story doesn’t keep people getting into these terrifying situations, idk what will
Yep I found out about this story when I was in year 6 at school and I generally couldn’t sleep for days and I will never now go into a crawl tight cave ever even though it was 4 years ago I still feel the pain and suffering the poor guy went through I just hope they never open the cave again because he deserves to have a peaceful resting place. Rest peacefully John
his body wouldn't even be in the same place now, remember he couldn't fit through the hole and he was upside down. as his body was decaying, eventually, it fell through whatever hole he was in. so..... that means randomly, weeks to months later in that sealed up silent cave, there was an ehco, a bomb of a body falling somewhere. and then. silent once more.
John's biggest mistake was separating from his brother. Josh was the one who studied the map and planned the trip. John knew very little about nutty putty. His lack of knowledge about the cave plus his determination to show Josh that he wasn't afraid combined with his certainty that he had found the birth canal were a series of fatal mistakes. Most people would have called their partner over to say they'd found the entrance. I don't know any caver who would go into such a tight crawl without notifying at least one other person first. Don't go caving alone!
No, his biggest mistake was going through a tight hole almost straight down HEAD first. I mean, that's just dumb. Why would you go in head first? That's a great way to get stuck AND make it difficult to nearly impossible to be pulled out. I don't get it. He sealed his own fate the instant he started squeezing in the wrong way.
I feel so awful, like survivors guilt, and I wasn’t even there with the poor man. I cannot fathom how the rescuer who was there in those last moments and heard his final words feels to this day.
The fall itself is likely what killed him. I get that he was still breathing raggedly afterwards, but with blood pooling in his head for so long, a fall that was almost certainly headfirst onto solid rock must have ruptured something and caused his brain to haemorrhage. It's a terrible, hollow truth, but he probably didn't suffocate to death in the end.
I hope so. Because as an almost-MD (4th year med student), he knew exactly what was happening as his body had been shutting down. I hope the fall knocked him out instantly so he never knew more than he was going to get out.
@@crosisofborg5524Because I understand the medical science behind the issue regardless of whether or not you do, and that makes it a probable theory, not baseless conjecture. He stopped speaking after the fall for a reason.
I wonder if he could've wiggle his way upside down, so that he'd face the other way and lay on his back instead of his stomach, so they could pull him out
Oh my god, this was my elementary principal's son. It was such a tragic event, and he was so heartbroken. Our teachers had us make cards and paper flowers to send to him when he came back to work, I still remember what I wrote in my card. He was never the same after that day, but I hope he's doing well (as well as you can be after losing your son so tragically.) This story still gives me cold sweats, and hearing the full details now as an adult makes it all the more tragic. RIP Jones
It’s sad to think about how this man must’ve felt when he got thousands of cards from students about his son. Probably broke down crying in his office. Life isn’t fair sometimes.
@@GreasyBehemoth God you're so right, and to keep working with kids and family must've made it so much more difficult after losing a child...it's a tragedy from all angles
@@mrsx7944 Not in my memory, but I was also so young I didn't grasp the seriousness of it all - there's a lot I probably missed. It was talked about only in whispers among students. I would not expect him to speak on it, I think he's retired now. I hope he's doing well!
This reminds me of a story my grandad told me about when my dad was a kid. He was always exploring abandoned buildings and one day he broke into an abandoned salt mill and he was alone at the time. And somehow he managed to fall down the cavity between two sections of exterior wall. It was a tiny space that only a small child could fit down and he had fallen 3 stories down this gap, the gap was narrow enough to slow his fall but not narrow enough to stop him so all his face arms and legs were badly grazed as he fell but apart from that he was without injury, but stuck between two solid brick walls with each breath in causing his ribcage to make contact with both walls. He was stuck there for 4 hours screaming before a passer by who was actually a floor above because ground level was a floor above where he was stuck, and luckily a lady heard him and got help and they actually had to break through the wall to get him out. That story has haunted me my whole life.
I've been scraped by brick. Rugburn x 70. That's pretty terrible. I'm glad someone finally heard and hopefully he was more careful after that. Your grandparents must've been extremely upset as well.
I remember watching the movie on this incident and had an anxiety attack just watching the movie and picturing being in that situation. Upon further investigation of this- the movie sugarcoats alot of the circumstances. The fact that until the rescue came he was in darkness, he suffered from hallucinations and a few panic attacks, he couldn’t breathe, his legs hurt like hell (and the only thing to help the pain was a UV in his toe that they gave him like 15-20 hrs into being stuck) and the thing that acually killed him- a very painful organ failure & a heart attack, all while hanging UPSIDE DOWN knowing that he was leaving his child and wife who was expecting the two’s 2nd child.
He was most likely knocked unconscious when he dropped back down, that rush of blood and that jerking stop when he had already been in that state for so long was probably too much for his brain. I'd like to think that besides the snapping rope, his final moments were spent with a sense of relief at being able to at least see someone again, if only briefly...
My heart started racing when I saw the diagram of how he was stuck upside down. I can't even imagine how horrible it was for John and in the deep darkness of the cave. I don't think I could have been calm. I would be screaming and begging to die. Being so close to rescue yet so far... RIP John 🙏 😭
I had heard he was vertical as I've heard and seen other videos about John before but the fact that we got to SEE how he was positioned... that makes it so much worse. I had a small panic attack going into a 5 and a half foot tall cave near Eureka Springs Arkansas.. I cant imaging going into one where you have to crawl to get anywhere. What a horrible way to die.
The same... smh... so terrifying. I would of asked for a gun and shot myself. Something. 19+ hrs in that position in the dark narrow passage... But it's stupid to say that; cause I would never die like that. Or go cane exploring. I will walk into a big cave or cavern. Honestly caving is one of my biggest fears... I went to college in Alaska with three caver friends from Missouri. Never knew how they done it. BIG FUCK THAT! #rantOVER
No. He wasn’t. Suzy (the first rescuer) has said that John was inconsolable at times and screaming to the point he would throw up. His brother was able to calm him down some by singing church hymns and praying with him.
@@DavO_666 show some respect idiot. John had no way of knowing he was in the wrong cave system, he trusted what he thought was the birth canal, nothing of this is to be blamed on him. This was a set of unfortunate circumstances that at many moments could have been avoided
@@hitrapperandartistdababy No fck anyone wid brain can easily figure it out how narrow tht passage is. Ya He earned my respect for showing how to not to be dumb as him.
@Endless Sporadic Living life means doing things not always safe. Have you ever gone for a bike ride or hiked in the mountains? Ever took a swim in the ocean or gone for a drive? Guess what? You just risked your life needlessly. He went into that cave knowing it was beginner friendly. He wasnt trying to challenge himself by going a harder route, he kept to the known path or so he thought. Now had he explored some unknown caves on purpose I would agree it was stupid, but fucking hell he went to a beginner friendly cave for some light cave exploring!
@@DavO_666 how the fuck would you know how narrow the passage where? He was crawling around in a dark tight space and hadnt tried out the cave before. All he knew was that the section he thought he was in was supposed to be narrow and so he kept going. How the fuck can you have the audacity to tell what he should have known or could have known when you wherent there?
DJ Penguin .... or you’re "a glutton for punishment," because this particular case was an agonizing way to go. Slow, and painful. I think I’d opt for stepping in front of a train. (Though it would be traumatizing for the train driver.)
@@spiritmatter1553 yeah dude honestly if I was in his situation I would say. "Weve done everything we can do...i appreciate everything you brave men and women did for me now pump me full of morphine and give me a lethal dose of anything quick so my family doesent watch me suffer" absolutely horrible man.
D J it’s unlikely morphine would have any effect due to how he was positioned. It probably wouldn’t have even reached his heart, much less been able to get back out of his heart and into his body.
There is a very old Cavers saying - 'Think once before you go feet first, think twice before you go head first'. This saying has gone through my mind many, many times over 20 years of (safe) caving.
Does it say anything about thinking three times before willingly getting into ANY dark, confined spaces underground? Maybe should be added to the repertoire...just a suggestion :)
@@MusgraveRitual Hi there, You make a valid point for normal, sensible people, but Cavers are simple folk, thinking about something three times will make us feel dizzy!! Dizziness is bad enough when it's due to dangling over some bottomless abyss on a rope, or due to having too many beers after a really good caving trip. Making oneself dizzy by thinking three times is just not going to happen! In all seriousness, after 40 years of caving and taking many people underground, I can say with some authority that people fall into 3 categories: Type 1, wouldn't dream of going underground. Type 2, have a go once, then become Category 1. Type 3, absolutely love caving, getting wet, muddy, cold, scared, seeing places that only a tiny minority of people ever see. PLUS there is always the possibility that you will find (dig/dive/climb) somewhere that no human has ever been before. Regards Paul in NZ
@@pauln1557 Hey, takes all kinds to fill this God's green Earth, even the kinds who decide to forgo all that beauty and greenery for crawling in the mud in the dark tunnels underground. I personally don't understand it, but free will and all that...:) Stay safe!
@@pauln1557 Yeah, I was definitely type 2. I went into a mud cave once, and now I will not go into any more caves (excluding the extremely safe commercialized ones, like the one in Louisville.)
@@NeilMalthus Imagine the world's largest rubberband ball instead, or the sculpture of a giant highchair. It's awful but the point was that someone died by something childish and whimsical sounding whose name makes people instinctively laugh or smile, no matter how much sympathy they have for you. It's unintentionally undignified.
How you're remembered is a part of yourself that you leave behind when you die, so it does have weight wity many people and those that remember them. It's unfortunate, though I'd want to make them smile, probably not that way. Someone I loved had a relative choose a photo they wanted wiped off the face of the earth for being unflattering as the main photo used in all the funeral/rememberance of life ceremony. That I could life with ...er die with. A bad hair day photo that only makes those who knew me well crack up during the service.
It’s gets worse. I had the opportunity to hear her talk about her side of the experience. They were able to lower a radio for her to talk to him and she had her last words with him about an hour before he passed.
I've heard this story told several times and since the first time, I panic during the story and think about it fairly often in my daily life. Not too many things genuinely haunt my thoughts and dreams but this is 100% one of the worst fates anyone can experience or I could ever imagine. Truly, absolutely nightmare fuel.
I genuinely feel bad for John. Dude was in the worse state he can be and tried to remain calm. I feel nothing but sorrow for him and I can’t imagine what he was going through. He was a strong guy.
It was stupid and selfish of him to do something that risky with a wife,daughter,and another kid on the way. I feel sorry for his family...not for him.
@@dr.loomis4221 He didn’t know that the cave would be a dead end narrow incline… he just thought it was a narrow passageway on the map. You can’t blame him
@@dr.loomis4221 i agree with you. Its hard to feel bad for him when he did this to himself. Ive seen cave crawling videos. Why would you intentionally go into a tiny space where you cant even turn over… why is it shocking he got stuck ???
@@idkanymore2522 Do none of you fucking watch these videos? Seriously, piss off if you're not gonna bother getting the facts or watching the frigging video. The guy thought he was in a different section of the cave, which was mapped. He made a mistake and went into an uncharted territory accidently and that's how he got stuck. Ffs man, it's like you people wanna just fucking cast your judgement without even understanding the poor lads situation. Dude has more heart and grit in 1 day, than you'll ever have in a life time.
One thing that wasn't mentioned was that when the path kept getting more & more narrow, he exhaled to get as much air out of his lungs to be able to squeeze through. So being upside down, not being able to see anything, and not being able to take a full breath is terrifying
@silverfoxeater He is absolutely right, though. His death was regrettable, but entirely preventable, his lack of common sense was the real cause of his death. He made a long series of very preventable mistakes and decisions.
Such a tragic and mortifying incident. Reminds me of the Everest corpses, how the remains of hundreds of people who died climbing it are still there to this day, frozen and half buried in the snow with no means of retrieving them.
There are n bodies on Everest that climbers can see. All have been either brought down, buried under rocks or pushed over the side. Even Green Boots has been missing from his cave since 2014. China did a great job on the clean up.
Mate, I thought the exact same thing about the Everest corpses. So I went trolling through the comments to see if anybody else thought the same. And so here I am. This is a really tragic event. At least John got a decent burial with the sealing of the cave.
Recently I had my very first and exciting caving experience. The cave was huge, brightly lit, had hundreds of people walking upright, with rails to hold onto. It smelled like a wet basement but there was no sense of doom and gloom, just beauty. I gotta give people props for venturing outside the norm and doing what they love despite the risks. RIP to John.
I am so deeply bothered that we didn't end up getting him out. That's really horrifying and sad to think he is still there in that position. Heartbreaking
Well if it can be of any comfort to you, he's most likely not in that position anymore. He's probably reduced to bones, and the bones will have eventually fallen down into a pile at the bottom of the hole he was stuck in.
@@krystallvinter7438 that’s only marginally better. I’m glad he’s probably not stuck in that position anymore, but it still saddens me that his remains are trapped in that place, especially knowing that he so desperately wanted out.
@@krystallvinter7438 see that's the part I'm not totally sure of because he very well could become preserved. The conditions seem like they could preserve the body. But your right, I have seen exhumed graves the are only 200 years old and the bones often get moved around from soil collapses and stuff like that. You even see that with old crypts
"beginner friendly" Uh no. Beginner friendly is like, fucking mammoth cave. You walk in, stick to the path, look up at how big it is, listen to the tour guide, look at the big icky spiders, get scared by a bat, turn around, walk out, buy an overpriced geode and t-shirt and call it a day. That's beginner.
Me : That one man death was so anxiety inducing and horrible, that I now have to relax with a more soothing video. Fascinating horror : 300 deaths at a water slide ! Me : that will do.
I’ve never though of myself as claustrophobic but I could barely get through this. The terror that young man must’ve felt. The thought makes my stomach churn. What a terrible situation.
I went to the Mammoth Caves with my family when I was a kid, and the guide told us of a caving death where a man got pinned and died. I think he expected the narrow passageway to expand further along, so he exhaled to squeeze past the tight spot, only to discover that the tight spot only got narrower. When he breathed in, his chest expanded and he became thoroughly stuck with his arms pinned to his sides. The more he tried to breathe, the more he got stuck. They had illustrated slides for us to see, and the story really stuck with me. What a terrible way to die, so utterly helpless in absolute pitch black darkness. It’s strange to think that people know exactly where the victims are, but getting them out is impossible so their corpses are just there to this day, in absolute silence and darkness.
He too was completely upside down and although his knees bent on the way down they would have to bend completely backwards on the way out so they could not get him out his legs would have had to have been broken which they probably should have done
He too was completely vertical upside down and although his knees bent correctly on the way down they would have had to break them to pull him out which they probably should have done but then they would have to break all of his ribs also
That's the haunting thought there for me... somewhere in caves there's an unretrievable body that's just there. Got stuck and died there. Inside the caverns of the cave, tho the entrance was cemented, there's a body, a corpse that was stuck... ಠ_ಠ
I noticed that too. Something about how he was stuck, upside down, in the dark, in something smaller than a washing machine door - ugh! It makes me feel sick to my stomach!
Caving is an amazing adventure... but sometimes it comes with a really high price. Stay safe our there, everyone!
+Fascinating Horror
I really appreciate the extra descriptive details in your narration of this video... it really heightens the horror of the situation the poor victim finds himself in .. great work !
The clear and accurate enunciations, extra descriptions, great accompanying images makes this video superior to other videos on this same event...
I’ve seen a few videos on this incident, and yours by far is the best one with most details and facts!
I walked through a lava tunnel in Korea...it was nice but not so far under ground; I'm glad I did it ...once
amazing adventure? nope....not for me!
This video did a great job of changing my interest in cave exploration from 1% to 0%.
Thank you for the laugh! I am with you!!
I was more in the range of .025% to -.05%. I mean, I'm claustrophobic so I pretty much only had the nerve to step a few yards into a cave that has a gigantic opening...like mammoth cave park. Other than that, a few feet in and I'm ready for 3 xanax and a paper bag to breathe into.
Exactly. I couldn’t think of an activity more awful.
Facts ☝🏽
Very funny! 😆
The ONLY way I will ever explore a cave is walking. The moment I have to crawl, I’m out
Fam, I wouldn’t even walk in a cave let alone crawl, there’s just something eerie about being ‘in the Earth’, like the stomach of a beast that can consume you at any moment. I feel uncomfortable looking at the plans of the caves John was in, wouldn’t do it for anything period!
@@pindasangha2883 Most basements of houses are technically under ground. XD (jokes aside Caving sounds like a death sentence, I can sit by a large cave entrance or even get on my knees. But the moment I see more cave im turning my ass around)
I was maybe 3-400 feet into a cave a few years back. Up until that point the tightest place was a descent that was maybe 3 feet wide and I didn't have an issue with that, and the roof once I entered was around 5 feet at the lowest and 15 at the highest. There was a tiny hole in the floor that was maybe 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall which led into another set of chambers, and trying to go into that is one of the most terrifying things I've ever done and I backed out almost immediately. Something about tiny underground spaces is utterly terrifying and seems to go against our very human nature and I regard anyone who can descend into those places with immense respect, but I also think they're maniacs.
As someone who works in construction and has had to work in confined spaces that are about as safe as humans can make the them I do not understand why someone would chance willingly going into a natural cave formation for leisure
if its like big chambers you can walk in sure but fuck that crawling shit.
The rescuer that got himself stuck in there trying to help him is one of the bravest soul I have ever heard of. He literally pushed himself into hell for some guy he had never even met.
I agree, bless that man, he is a strong and brave soul.
Brings to mind the soccer team than got trapped in a cave in Thailand - took a team of many experts to scuba them out, and a navy seal (Thai navy) died in the process. Some places nature just doesn’t intend us to go!
@@tomrogers9467 amen to that
It's called their job.
@@Hotmaildotcomz I’m glad it’s not my job!
I find it also interesting that previously, a 16 year old boy was stuck in the exact same place as John did. It seems like they should have blocked the area off or perhaps even put signs warning people that the area was not the actual birth canal. Such a tragic story. And for John a horrific way to go.
Yes, but they didn't and after John died they decided to blast closed the entire cave and cement it. Sad no one else will be able to explore it now
@@pippetandpossum yeah I thought the same. Would have been better to block that sideway and have a memorial there. Having the cave explorers come and be at the split, so they really feel how important it is to be careful. That sounds like a better plan to me too.
@tomghzel
They blocked it off because some people ignore stuff like that. Look at diving signs and memorials
The first caver who found the cave entered the same tunnel, however after facing the 45 degree downward (not the 80-90 degree downward angle where John got stuck) angle he quickly realized that it was a mistake and wriggle himself out. I agree he should warm others about the dangerous tunnel. But like we all see from the map, it looks like the farthest/deepest part of the cave and the entrance is very narrow, so maybe he thought there was no need to warn other? 25k visitors a year and no one other than John and had ever enter the tunnel. I read some comments about teenagers (boy scouts ) got stuck before, however I also read I happened in different part of the cave named "Scout trap" .
@Hudson Hamman you’re only responsible if you charge people to enter. If it’s free then you’re free of liability.
If this cave is "beginner friendly" then caving is seriously not a hobby for me
In Alabama there’s a cave considered safe enough for children that barely has any safety railing and long, deep drop offs that will literally kill people so I think the use of “beginner friendly” seems to be loose
@@MacyPooh196 that still is a beginner friendly cave tight caves aren’t beginner friendly
@@adrenalinewill it is not beginning friendly. I have caved most of my life. A good beginner cave is one with no struggle. With open rooms from time to time. And best with 2 mouths to the cave. If your back touches the ceiling when on your stomach, it is dangerous. Maybe, it could be called a beginner "claustrophobic cave". But yeah, I made that mistake once. My brothers couldn't fit in this one tunnel, so they sent me because I was the smallest, so that we could see if it opened up at some point. They ended up having to pull me back out. Never did anything that tight again. I rather crab crawl under low ceilings then take that chance again.
I think it got that reputation because a bunch of drunk college students used to go in the cave for drunk midnight adventures (before it was gated off and access was limited). Although small, I think the first part of the cave was beginner friendly, but anything past “the big slide” was probably more challenging and dangerous, I don’t think the drunk college kids ever went that far into the cave
@@MacyPooh196 What cave in Alabama?
_"There was also The Maze - a confusing jumble of tiny chambers and tight corridors that were fun to explore."_
Yeah, fuck that.
Yeah 😂😂
Makes no sense to me. I won't skydive but I can understand it, this just seems like Darwinism.
@@spaceli0n I agree... at 6'3" and 230 lbs I think I'd rather die skydiving, if I wanted to die sportingly.
No way in hell am i going there, let alone step foot inside the cave i would be willing to drive there, take a picture of the cave entrance and leave and never return.
@@PaulStringini I can feel you. I'm at 6'4 250lbs..
My heart sank when they said he could see the rescuer and the rope gave out sending him back in that space. What a horrible way to die.
This is why you dont go alone. This is why you dont go at all
So sad
Play stupid games win stupid prizes
We can hope that he was knocked out in the fall, and didn't have long to ruminate after the hope of escape was dashed.
This really messes me up when I think about it. Not only for the poor guy who was trapped but his family who were with him too. Can you imagine if that was your loved one, that would destroy me.
Utahn here, this story left such impact on everyone when it happened. There's a thing I think some people don't realize about these mountains that surround us. Being so close to them for so long makes you forget: If the Rocky Mountains get a chance to swallow you whole, you'll be lucky if she spits out your corpse. Stay safe, folks. Never underestimate the dangers of something, even if it's considered "beginner friendly".
Maybe avoid lunatic hobbies like cave diving.
@@DrJ-hx7wv Well, that's definitely worked for me so far.
Lonely-You are so right! I lived in Park City for 11 years and the number of highly skilled skiers caught in avalanches by skiing the bowls or off trail amazed me. I live in San Diego now and as you say, the Ocean becomes such a part of your being that it is easy to forget and underestimate the power of the waves!
Same thing here in the Sierras; those who don't respect the wilderness will die at its hand.
Rocky Mountains are in Northern Utah. This happened south of SLC
I used to do a lot of caving, but once I found a narrow passage going up at a shallow incline, and decided to try it. I couldn't wear my safety hat in that space, it wouldn't fit. I turned my head a bit, and could see that the roof appeared to be loose rock. A few feet further on, the passage ended. !!! I had to consider that I was trapped. After careful thought, I realised that my overalls would bunch up if I tried to back out. Somehow, I'd have to turn around in the bulb shape at the end of the passage. That was really scary. Slowly, I then slid down the passage, and out. Outside, to see the sky full of stars convinced me never to go caving again.
I couldn’t even begin to imagine being in your position. Good job powering thru.
I'm very glad you had enough of your wits about you to get yourself turned around.
I understand the thrill people may wanted until i saw a stupid youtuber who went to a cave alone and suddenly flooded. There is a thin line between being stupid and crazy
Geez, glad you are okay.
It's fortunate that you were in the opposite predicament to the guy in this video and that gravity was in your favor. So I'm assuming that you had nobody behind you, that could pull you out? That's quite risky just by itself.
"Safe for beginners"
Has a section named "THE SCOUT EATER"
Lol, I didn't notice that.
“The Maze” and “the birth canal”
Your avatar rocks
That's normal to see names like that in a cave. Cavers have a bit of fun naming stuff
Utah humor
I’m so excited to wake up every day, get out of bed, and never step foot in a cave.
The scariest aspect to me as how helpless everyone was in this situation. Like all the proper authorities were notified, they had tons of equipment and trained rescuers. And it just didn't matter.
I heard somewhere it took about a hour just to get down into the part of the cave he was in everyone involved in that must of been just beat to shit.
Ya a big problem is the distance he is in the cave. Example they make a electric Jackhammer but that is too far to run extension cord maybe they could of run 10-2 wire down to him to run the jackhammer but that wire is heavy and awkward to handle ( in a normal situation)
@B C Don't believe that bullcrap quotes from "Nothing is impossible" by some smartarse. We can't even survived a lot of different ways to die.
@@bodhixxx1 And of course a gasoline powered one would make the cave poisonous
@@trequor correct deadly fumes and they are bulky and heavy I do not think it would fit through the "birth canal"
There are some phobias that are innate, natural fears, left over from our uncivilized ancestors. Fear of heights, fear of spiders, or snakes, and the fear of dark, enclosed spaces. Those fears evolved because they kept us alive.
Cindy Lewis Over the years I’ve come to terms with my fear of spiders and snakes and I even quite like them now ,but nothing could ever persuade me to enter a cave or enjoy the view from a high building or cliff. Like you say some innate fears are there to protect us.xx
ITHEREONETHATHASNT I feel bad for you that you were born with the inability to use any ability to put yourself in other peoples shoes or have empathy, but such is life
Such a good point.
I'm actually more afraid of wide open spaces. Which makes sense as an innate fear bc you can't hide very easily (from predators for example) in wide open spaces. I feel safer in small spaces. I've got the opposite of claustrophobia. I hide.
Claustrophobia isn't universal. Neither are those other fears you mentioned.
@@mksabourinable Innate, not universal. If evolution worked universally in the same way we would all be exactly the same. Opposite of claustrophobia is agoraphobia if I'm correct
The rescuers are true heroes. Even though they couldn’t succeed just imagine going down there; the kind of talent, skill and nerves of steel you’d need.
So sorry for John’s family.
You ain't kidding. I wouldn't go in there willingly, yet it is these rescuers' job to do so.
What happened to this John Jones guy is my worst nightmare.
RIP John.
They saved two young children in separate incidents in the same part of the cave with the same pulley system. Jones was just to heavy and the pulley system would not support his weight. As horrific as this was I could not imagine waiting with a child for 5 hours trapped in this situation waiting for rescuers.
@@lok777 you'd think after that they would have plugged or labeled that section before a third person tried it
Edit:typo
@@WolvenDragonZ It wasn't the necessarily same section of cave.
Indeed they are! I couldn’t have done that. I’m extremely claustrophobic. Had I of been called to that scene, I would of been like “hell na, sorry”
One thing about these stories I love, is that when someone gets stuck or goes missing, there is ALWAYS someone willing to attempt a search .
Often, hundreds of people voluteer and show up to help, just on like a 15% chance of saving a total stranger from a horrible fate. Thats a wonderful human urge
And, of course, when they declared this cave (most of which was so narrow that you had to literally crawl to get through) "beginner-friendly" they never thought of sealing off or marking the parts that were unexplored and thus not to be ventured into. Because who would ever get lost in a set of dark extremely narrow passages and take the wrong turn?
In my opinion a "beginner-friendly" cave is one that you can walk upright completely through, with the correct path being clearly marked. Anything harder than that isn't "beginner-friendly".
Like lava tubes. Those you can walk upright in.
That wouldn't be caving though, that'd be like saying build a ladder down a cliff so you can go 'beginner' rock climbing.
@@kalumbailey5103 caving is exploring a cave system. Just because you prefer more difficult caves doesn't mean they're for everyone
@@doctorspockable i'll have to agree with Kalum there beginner-friendly should be something that would introduce you to a real caving experience in a safe environment, crawling isn't hard if you've ever been under a bed you know that with enough space over your head moving isn't an issue you also have to remember caving is an extreme sport that you exercise for the adrenaline, what a beginner friendly cave needs are instructor people that can accompany newbies and remind experienced folks that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer and that you're still in a fucking tunnel underground in the dark which continues on for miles and miles
@@MikaMikhailMikhailovich I didn't say more dangerous levels of caving were banned, did I? Most beginners, especially if its your first time underground, would prefer a little more space. Standing up, possibly crouching, not squeezing through a tunnel where it's in on all sides. You're right that they should have had guides there, but the key part of your first sentence was "safe environment". Nutty Putty was not a beginner cave. If you have to squeeze through gaps, it's not for beginners unless you have an experienced guide, which this group didn't. It also didn't help this was a) John's first time in the cave and b) it was already 8pm when they entered.
This is one of the saddest stories I've heard in a while. He got so close to being rescued, only to slip back into his grave. I can't imagine the pain he must have felt, nor how terrible it must have been for his family and the rescue team
This is the only video on this guy I've seen that mentions him being pulled high enough to make eye contact with the rescuer and him slipping back down. Horrific.
@@TruthTe11er Other sources mention that the space was so narrow they couldn't pull him out because his feet almost touched the ceiling and the only posibility to get him out was to break his legs. He was in an inverted L, facing the wrong direction. The problem always was that there was no room at all and literally nothing could be done if he wasn't able to at least turn around.
At that point if I was in that situation I would’ve been begging someone to just kill me so I wouldn’t have to suffer any longer. Even if it was possible to survive a second attempt, I wouldn’t have the emotional strength to have them try again
Jackie Rocha same here.....
Should’ve just threw a bunch of dynamite down there and explode him so it would’ve been quick and the cave would be bigger
I have really bad claustrophobia, so the thought of being stuck (or even in the cave in the first place) makes me genuinely panic. Poor, poor man, what a horrible death.
rhaeofsunshine Me too.
Me too. AND he was upside down. Just horrifying
Same! It was hard for me to even listen to this one. 😭😭 I couldn't imagine!
I’m hyperventilating just listening to this...
Full agreement on that. What an awefull moment for his family. Aparently a cave system used by thousands didnt need any signs to direct people on the correct path
Even though I’ve seen this video before and know what happens, I still root for John and the rescuers every time as though it’s possible things will go differently this time I watch it.
And Scott Norwood keeps hoping that football will hook left...
@@GrislyAtoms12ROFLMAO 😂
I know you exactly what you mean. I guess it’s fantasising as a form of denial to cope with trauma. There should be a word for it though
@@EmperorsNewWardrobeDelusion or in internet speak, Copium
Same. I'm watching it again. Tsk
I know he is dead, so he doesn't feel anything anymore, but I'm horrified of the thought that he remained there... I would go so insane from grief knowing that my loved one is entombed in a cave, upside down with no hope of proper burial and last goodbyes...
Same here his poor poor family 😨😭
Anastasia Zamurujev That’s what I’ve always said about this case. They really should’ve taken his body out. So sad for his family to know he’s down there like that. And so morbid in general.
@@janicesmith5974 well his family is the one who requested to leave him there. The passage way was far too narrow with only one way out, trying to pull him out is basically like fighting backward against a water current and it was risky even to the rescuers.
@@janicesmith5974 Taking his body out would have required other people to risk their lives. Would you rather have two (or more) dead people instead of just one, just to retrieve a corpse that is beyond feeling or caring, so you can put it back in the ground in a different place? That would be madness. If it were my loved one, I wouldn't want to risk the life of a single other person.
At least he got to talk to his wife on the walkie. Small solace since he didn't know it was going to be the last time, but better than nothing. 😔
If this cave was marked fit for beginners... Then I can't even imagine seeing a cave marked fit for experts & pros!
I have seen caves marked for experts that are better mapped and have bigger spaces
Well remember, the part he went to explore was def not marked for beginners considering it had never been explored. I feel like there should’ve been mandatory guides.
Think of the ones that get flooded
MOUNT MOON XDDDD XDD (POKÉMON REFERENCE NOT MANY WOULD GET XD)
Most of the cave was good for beginners he was just in the few place there weren't.
Nothing about this cave system sounds good for beginners.
Exactly.
Right!
Yeah it doesn't sound very fun for anyone considering how narrow they're describing it but maybe I only think that because you couldn't pay me enough money to enter any cave
Big Man Gaming I’ve been spelunking and it’s terrifying but a blast! We almost got caught in a flash flood though. 😬
Right?! I would think beginner caves would have a walk
path with handrail and adequate lighting.......and maybe even handicap accessible...!
Theres not enough money on this planet that could convince me to ever crawl into a cave like that
Same. I rather walk barefoot on glass shards than ever go cave exploring
Sometimes you just really want the story to have a happy ending.
Exactly! I cant stop reading about it
Yup😂
It said pretty much at the start that he would die...
But yeah its sad it ended this way
You can tell when they don't interview them for the show that they're probably dead....wait that's not right 🤔
It's like......here today, yet you maybe gone tomorrow: life is short. Enjoy 😉 😉 it.....well you can!!
The saddest part of this whole thing is that he was so close to being saved
exactly, everyone was probably so optimistic
Nope. There was no chance because of the angle he was stuck in. Only way was to break his legs which would have caused a shock and would have killed him as well. So the only only way could have been if he wasnt stupid enough to stick his head into every hole and went feet first instead.
@@SSaNNEE100 Not only that, he also inhaled a deep one to shift his rib cage so he could fit in, which caused him to stuck.
@Alex W Ah yes because your hatred of Religion certainly is the main topic in a place like this.
@Alex W another big mouthed atheist.
How was this considered to be a beginner friendly cave when there are places in it that were unexplored with no warning not to go any further?
Exactly. Who tf was in charge of signage? They should have at least had that if not a full block of that side tunnel.
@@deprofundis3293 Caves like these barely ever have signage and are intended to be left as close to their natural state as possible. The responsibility of safely navigating the cave lies on the caver.
It's beginner friendly because even beginners can have a true cave experience getting permanently stuck hanging upside down like a petrified bat?
I had this train of thought too, but then I remember skiing/snowboarding is the exact same way. You have green designated slopes and bunny slopes, both the easiest slopes, but if you veer off the path just 10 feet you could suddenly find yourself in sheer steep "backcountry" territory.
@@Nvcturnal Yeah, but ski slopes usually have fencing or signage to stop you from going down the wrong path.
I'm a Utah caver, I was in Nutty Putty a month before this happened. When I went in, I was told this cave was especially tricky and had a history of people getting stuck. It didn't require rope work but we knew it wasn't "for beginners". Not sure where you're getting that
Yeah I've heard this story before and except for the ending it was a very different story. I mean they closed it off once because it was too dangerous.
I was there a month ago and never saw you. Please don't lie to us again
@@maccusmc Maybe it was diferent days 🙄
@@mtra.mariafernandafloreshe1301 I was there everyday.
@@maccusmc Different times of the day
"Unaware of the danger, John crawled onwards, until he couldn't." Such a sad, terrifying sentence.
Such a simple way to get horrifically trapped
Never been in a cave so perhaps there is something I don't understand... but. It seems stupid crawling head first down a narrow vertical tunnel. What was he thinking? Maybe you get disoriented in caves and don't know what is up or down? I donno.
@@atnfn I think it was probably because he thought he was in one of the charted "safe" tunnels, which means that he maybe thought at some point the tunnel was gonna get wider enough to turn back. Since it's vertical it's also possible that he simply slipped down without meaning to.
I dunno, it seemed stupid to me as well, but I'd never crawl in a fuckin tunnel in the first place. I'm 5'2, so the moment I cannot stand in a cave, mine or tunnel, I'm out lol
@@DeadKraken I've done a little polar bear caving (so narrow it's not even crawling), which was fun. But that was in Mammoth Cave, with a tour guide making sure nobody got lost.
Reminds me of destiny
"And for centuries humanity thrived, until it didn't"
I’m having anxiety just looking at the map. I can’t even imagine beginners would want to squeeze themselves through that
Just listening to this makes me so claustrophobic that I feel like I can't breathe.
And it's not like this guy got into this situation by an unforeseen accident. It mean, it's not a true accident, like getting stuck in a fragile building in an earthquake, or a car crash. He chose to go down into that cave for entertainment purposes. This guy had a wife and a kid, so why he would take those risks, I don't know. At age 26, he should have known better.
@@hamsterama He thought he was in Birth Canal,which was safe-ish.
@@terminallove3531 Might be safe-ish, but climbing into a cave would still carry some risk. There's a reason the average person doesn't go spelunking in unlit caves for fun. It's because it can be dangerous. If you have a family, there are safe alternatives "tourist traps," like Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, or the Ohio Caverns, for a couple examples.
@@hamsterama
I agree. Painful indeed for his family and friends, but he chose to go down there at NINE OCLOCK AT NIGHT. Tell me that isn't reckless. He also endangered the rescuers.
Just listening to this story makes me horrifically uncomfortable.
Same 😫
Me too. Really freaked me out. What a horrible way to die. My heart goes out to John’s family and the brave rescue workers.
I know, this gave me bad anxiety
same, I shuddered when the cross-section images were shown, I'm not even claustrophobic, but god damn if I'll EVER put my body into such a small space.
Me too! My heart is breaking,
I have so much respect for rescue teams. They work as hard as they can, putting everything else but saving people out of their minds and do their best. The vicarious trauma (and their own) that they experience would be enough to make most people stay far, far away from these jobs. The rescues that fail must weigh heavily on them. I know I’d have nightmares and flashbacks. I can’t imagine what everyone went through
It would do high risk seekers a world of good to seriously consider whose lives will be endangered if they require rescuing.
His body still being in those caves is the most horrifying part to me.
exactly
Agreed. I still think about it . 😢
Nah he's dead now that being a release from the terror of being stuck there waiting for possible rescue. I mean after we die our bodies are just waste material our soul or whatever gets to leave.
What about the people who died on Mount Everest? There are bodies everywhere and no one can bring them home ☹
If it were my loved one stuck in there, I would not be able to rest. It's just the thought of his remains, stuck there, forever, all alone. Such a sad story.
The fact that some find jamming themselves further and further into a dark artery lined with rock ‘relaxing’ and ‘fun’ makes me want to reevaluate literally everything ever.
I'm sure they don't find it relaxing, more like adrenaline rushing. That said I completely understand your point and I agree.
I've had enough nightmares about getting stuck in tight spaces I know my anxiety would never allow that kind of hobby.
P.S. ♥️♥️♥️ your profile pic
@@SweetUniverse Thanks.
Your brain is working as nature intended. The same can't be said for people who pursue activities that pose a great risk to their lives...
@@jine7123 I'm sure there's an evolutionary purpose that somehow helps tribal survival about pursuing danger, as unintuitive as it sounds.
Just gotta say search and rescue to teams are so underappreciated. Risking your own life every time and if they didn't make it, that would wreck me
Real heroes
This is my worst nightmare, I can't imagine the horror of what John, his family, friends, and Rescue workers endured. I hope his wife and child have lots of happy recorded memories of his short life to treasure.
Very horrifying. I pray that God gives comfort after such a story. Someday when Christ comes, all pain will be wiped out. We pray John is raised to receive Christ.
God, I’ve heard this story a 1000 times and it still freaks me out. Poor guy. I also can’t imagine how traumatized the rescuers were...
I dont get why they couldn't drill him out. I really wish I could have heard the onsluaght of suggestions by the people involved in the rescue. I mean, with all the technology we have to day... It seems it should have been doable??
Skip Skylark not in a tunnle that narrow, how do you expect them to even fit the tools down there? Plus, thats solid rock on rock on rock, no way they would he able to chip that away in time
It was an inpossible situation, judging by the shape of the passage he shouldnt had even been able to get his legs through there. But he somehow did
It is played 4 people that are just beginning to go caving.
I don't think the drills could be positioned to do much, explosives were the only thing to move that rock, and well, you know the outcome. These guys that squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices, I don't get it.
@@lawka2699 falling rock would have crushed him lol
I read about this in the news when it happened. As someone who is a bit claustrophobic, this still makes me shudder every time I think about it.
Yeah I don’t see the appeal in shoving yourself into a hole you don’t necessarily know where it will end up.
I am at 4:29 and specifically came looking for a comment like this. As soon as it was described how he crawled down a tight passage, I was creeped out. I could not imagine doing something like this.
I never regarded myself as claustrophobic but I'm beginning to reconsider
If I had to choose how to die this would be below burning or drowning
@@Dougie1969 ruclips.net/video/EcP3o8RO_wM/видео.html&ab_channel=Newsflare
this man was literally dying and when asked how he was doing he just said "this sucks"
Sad ...
They are Mormons. They prayed and sung, mostly. Read the articles
@@doxasophosmoros I'm not surprised, but... if it helped him relax in his last moments, then I'm glad. I hope he got some kind of closure.
Mormons are some of the most polite people I have met.
@@nickie7874 what a legend though, I would not have handled it nearly as well
I’ve always had “stress dreams” (not scary enough to be nightmares) about having to squeeze through tight spaces very quickly. I’m not claustrophobic, but something about the combination of close spaces and time limits is so anxiety inducing. This story takes it to an entirely different level of horrifying.
I know what you mean. I've had dreams where I've been trapped inside a cave no bigger than, say, a cupboard under the stairs. And the narrative of the dream is that I don't ever escape. No one is coming to rescue me. It is f*cking terrifying!!
I've also been buried in an avalanche and been stuck in a capsized ship while the water level rises. God knows why the f*ck I'd dream such things!! 😳😳
Oh me too! I find it comforting in a strange way that I’m not alone in having these kinds of specific dreams.
Strong likelihood you're reliving birth memories. I had these types of dreams for years before connecting the dots with what I knew about my birth, and then suddenly it all made sense.
@@vacafuega Yeah thats not true lmao. New age bullshit
Interesting, I used to have recurring dreams of finding myself at the top of a radio tower usually in the Flatlands of something like Kansas where you can see the quilt work of the fields from something like 2000 or 3,000 feet. It was a very precarious feeling to be on the platform. Because it was a recurring dream I assume it had meaning somewhere in my unconscious but I never was able to figure out what it was. Haven't had one of those for about 3 decades. I used to have all kinds of disaster dreams, recurring many times. Dreams where the details changes but the basic idea is the same with the disasters ranging from tsunamis to tornadoes to volcanic eruptions and downbursts. In all cases it appeared that there was no Escape so naturally they were frightening but still not actually nightmares . I've only had five or six Bonafide nightmares in my life and I'm 76 . That period of different styles of natural disasters lasted about 5 years, from about 35 to 40 years old.
Red flag one for me would have been when they said “here’s a great beginner cave, only you have to crawl”.. Just listening to this made my skin crawl, absolutely horrifying.
"Beginner cave" does not mean a tourist cave, it means a cave that lacks a lot of immediate danger. It means a cave where you don't have to swim, where you won't fall down random 40 foot pits, fall of ledges, etc. It has nothing to do with how much crawling is involved - as crawling is not anything out of the ordinary for a beginning cave explorer. I think many people here are confusing 'beginner cave' with the idea that its a cave appropriate for lay people to go exploring around in - and that is NOT what it means.
@@landonp629 Appreciate the info. But bear in mind most people have no idea about cave exploring and won't know the terminology, and therefore without any explanation will think "beginner cave" = "cave for beginners", which in the mind of people who've never done cave exploring means you have freedom of movement.
@@landonp629 Thanks for clarifying that. I hear "beginner cave" and I'm thinking walking upright, bats, stalactites, school kids in Jordans sneaking off for a smoke...
Go read how you had To get INTO the cave.
@@landonp629 that’s why “beginner cave” is a stupidly ambiguous term that most lay people would assume to mean “safe”.
I grew up in Utah and explored the nutty putty caves with a group of friends, all young teens. I had no experience and didn't know what i was getting myself into. We had a fun time and all got out with no issue. Watching these videos about John makes me almost paralyzed with fear, knowing it could easily have been me. I'm glad these caves are sealed off now. Even being an invulnerable teenager, I felt uneasy when I was down in those caves.
That would have been my brother if my parents hadn't refused to let him go with his scout group the week before.
My friends would go when we were teenagers, I could never talk myself into going though. Glad I didn’t.
I always refused when friends would go in the early 2000s. I am claustrophobic and it made me nervous to even think about going inside. When this tragedy unfolded I was horrified. My future husband almost asked me on a group date there and felt he shouldn't do so, am glad he did not!
I've been through the birth canal and back, twice. I'm 130 lbs, and it was tight for me, and I had friends way bigger than me size go through it somehow..... I still don't understand how they did it.
if more people would stop when they feel uneasy, a lot fewer people would die doing this
The rescue guy Ryan literally had his face almost slashed off by the rope, bleeding, and was still worried about someone getting down there with John.
I read his top lip got so swollen that it hung down to his chin! 😱
so many kind people in this case. The rescue workers, the landowner. Atleast thats pleasent.
@@mhm77887 Wait what was pleasant about the land owner? he wanted to dynamite the whole cave on top of John!
@@CoIoneIPanic It would destroy the caves so there was absolutely no chance someone could illegally enter them after they were sealed off and meet the same tragic fate.
Well yeah because he knew he wasn't close to death and the guy that was trapped was, obviously you would still worry about someone that was gonna die if you had a bit of a injury, honestly your comment is very dumb.
When I first read about this I felt sick and had trouble falling asleep.
I think this is one of the most horrific deaths I could imagine. Slowly dying over the course of many hours, confined in that position in the tiniest space, in pain, knowing full well it was his own doing that got him there. I truly hope he rests in peace and in a better place.
Honestly props to the landowner. This is a case where many caving sites would probably attempt to sweep it under the rug, but this guy was so appalled he actually wanted to dynamite the cave.
i love that guy
I'd bomb it too if it was my property. I'd spam the place with bombs.
Understandable, cause we guys just want to blow up something big and nice at least once in our life for whatever reason.
@@Dimension2010 blow'd up good
agreed. the guy was very responcible.
ive heard this story many time before, and the words, "i really, really want to get out" still sends chills down my spine. tragic.
Plus he was a medical student so he was acutely aware of the physiological traumas that his body was undergoing
@@wiseauserious8750 oh :(
I can't imagine being a family member knowing his body is still stuck down there. I know it's been sealed but part of me is just so uncomfortable with that
@@kaytea0963 agreed, especially since he wanted so badly to get out. I hate that his final resting place is literally the place where he went through hell, and now his body is trapped there forever.
1000s of people get buried underground every day. This is really no different
The fact that he is still there to this day haunts me.
Ya same. It's not like his body was removed and he got a proper burial. He's still there, upside-down in a dark cave wearing the same clothes 12 years later
As opposed to being buried underground elsewhere ?
AS far as burial sites go, he has an entire cave sytem as his own Tomb. his coffin was created over milllions of years. I think people forget why we bury dead people.
Its seems to me people want to bury there dead for convenience.
when you bury sombody in a place, its firstly becuase we cant leave dead people laying about, and second becuase it creates a place of memorial.
seems to me both needs are filled.
I for one would prefer this burial, than being placed in a line with every other smoe that has passed.
T H E F A C T T H A T
@@thebigtricky9156 He said he wanted to get out of the cave so they should have gotten him out even when he was already dead.
@♃_неороманист_♃ Wow, so you’re a really awful person, huh? I feel bad for you, having to spend everyday with such a horrible person. Must be rough.
I live just about 20 miles from Nutty Putty caves. My dad went there several times growing up. It was always a popular activity for scout troops, and my troop talked about it several times but always ended up doing other activities instead. This tragedy happened before we had a chance to go down there. Just this past year I went out and visited the site and was able to read the plaque and pay my respects.
Such a sad tragedy... I remember tuning in to the updates about the rescue operation and being sure that it was just a matter of time before they got him out... sadly it just got worse and worse. It's hard to picture a more horrific and drawn-out death. May he rest in peace.
More drawn out... Look up Floyd Collins. I'm wondering if the family will ever get a shaft dug down to get jones out of nutty putty and get proper burial.
The real question is why is there no sign in the cave that says “birth canal turn right” or something
Yeah, or one before where he got to that said "DEAD END". Often, in my experience, other cavers leave such signs for the safety of others.
You would have thought that when the passageway started going down vertically that he might have questioned if it was the right way to go.
It was a crude, undeveloped cave in the desert. But it's a fair question. I thought this place was terrifying before this tragedy happened.
@@AB-mx1de
I have done some amateur caving in very similar places. They are just tunnels and holes in the earth that Councils leave open and undeveloped for exploratory fun -- with *complete user liability*. Therefore the golden rules are -- inform someone of arrival and expected departure time, be prepared with proper equipment AND BACK UPS, be fit for the task, take no chances, have good maps and/or use string tracking back to entrance, go with backup mates, no drugs or alcohol, never enter any crawl space you aren't sure you can get out of, beware low oxygen, beware strange odours, set your limits, etc. And most of all, BLAME NOONE ELSE if something goes wrong.
@BobsYourUncle
Yep, but just because you can contort your body INTO some passageway doesn't mean you can contort it to get OUT OF that same place. The human body just doesn t work like that. Plus, as you get hotter and push more, you get bigger. Most cavers know this and play safe. And it just isn't necessary to take such risks. And for what? Some fun, some thrills? Some showing off? Blind ambition. No one is saying it in this forum, but that guy was a risk taking idiot. No excuses. He wasn't "unlucky". It wasn't a "dangerous cave". He was just an idiot who didn't play it safe.
can we just have a little moment of respect to the rescuers who are willing to go down there and hurt themselves in the process of it :( may john rest in peace
Yeah I guess it was lucky the rescuer who was knocked unconscious came back out and recovered
Quit trying to milk compassion for attention
@@barneyboyle6933 i'd rather show my compassion for the victim instead of leaving shitty comment like yours. you need to see a therapist ffs
@@yeon1573 No, you do. Have him help you deal with your need for attention and validation from anonymous internet accounts.
CaN wE tAkE a MoMeNt?!
@@barneyboyle6933 Pretty sure you’re the only one here screaming for attention in the comments. Find a hobby.
Imagine how heartbroken the worker helping John out must’ve been after he woke up :( I can’t even imagine… Rest in Peace John ❤️
Yeah, imagine being the last person to spend time with the guy, even being in eye contact just before he fell back down and died... Can't imagine that feeling.
(Naturally the same goes for his family and friends too, they mustvve had it even worse but that wasn't the main point here.)
that rescuer, who was named ryan, said afterward that he thought and still thinks about john all the time. he said that they would have been good friends, and it was really hard to deal with even though they only knew each other for hours. he made an impact on all the rescuers. 🥺
@@littlepowerpuff jesus reading that hurts. It even made me tear up a little. Rip
i’ve heard that while he was trying to rescue him, john would continuously ask him if he was ok or needed anything:(( they sang and prayed most of the time
@Patrick Baptist whats wrong w u LMAO
I really feel for John but the biggest rule when entering a tight space in caving is never go down head first. You always go legs first because if you get stuck you can still push out. The other issue was it took too long to get cave rescue down there. They called in regular Ems who got stuck themselves and slowed down the rescue. By the time they got to him most of the rescue techniques they could’ve used were unavailable due to his state.
True, but if you wanted to rob theoigh the birth canal you have to rob with face in front. There is a video of someone who was there in 2005 and kf you watch it you understand why.
I like the kinds of caves where you walk along a set, partially paved path and there are railings in even the most benign places. The local guide tells you the same facts about erosion that every cave has while his little dog, who grew up playing on the trails, follows the group around excitedly. The scariest part is where you exit into the gift shop and see the prices for little geode slices with the name of the cave on it and know you're going to end up buying one.
*Those* are beginner caves.
That kind of caving I’d be willing to do
If it gets to the point I have to crawl I’m just nopeing right out of there
Wind Cave in South Dakota is similar but minus dogs/pets. The tour paths are concrete with steps and rails where needed. Take a powerful flashlight on the tour and shine light into the countless branches to see some seriously scary "terrain". The known cave system is huge and rangers say the uncharted is far larger.
Authorized cave explorers are still working on charting and finding new branches and rooms. If someone decided to escape the tour and go exploring, well you'd be missed but probably not found.
The only cave I've ever been in had an area where they stored large wheels of cheese, the guided tours were all safe, well lit, railings almost everywhere and no tiny tunnels where I could end up stuck and need my step brothers help
😂😂😂
@@nullbubble791 I think I could die happy in a cave filled with cheese.
I’ve heard this story so many times now, and I still can’t get over how terrible a fate this is.
There’s a movie on it called The last descent
It’s very sad but quite good I would recommend watching it if u r interested
@@Bernieboii36 where can i watch it?
@@thelegendlink8111 Amazon Prime Video
What was his motive to go down there?
I cannot begin to describe how frustrating it is that they almost got him out
yeah, i can’t comprehend how awful this feels for his loved ones and i hope they’re staying strong
Not as frustrated as he was I bet!
This video makes it seem like he was close and the only that happened was the bolt snapping. That was the last straw indeed, but from what I've seen the angle he was in made actual rescue impossible without completely destroying his legs, which would've probably killed him from shock with how much pain he was in already due to being upside down. Just a really sucky situation.
@@RepresentWV His legs hadn't had a pulse in hours. I'd say give it a try, if they could. But they couldn't, because the rock gave out.
That passage should have been closed off after the earlier accident.
@@RepresentWV In fairness, it very well could have been close to rescue - paralyzed or legless, perhaps, maybe even with shock induced brain damage, but alive. The bolt coming loose really put the nail in the coffin though, as brutal as that metaphor is considering it was sealed up to be his tomb (which, can I just say, was remarkably respectful? Especially when the owner wanted to dynamite it.)
It's official, folks. We've found the worst way to die.
Everest is the worst imo.
For starters there's the 'rainbow ridge' you'll see. It's really a 'rainbow cemetery'.
Called that because the snow is white but the HUNDREDS of dead bodies there have different colored clothing on to present a rainbow of sorts. You'll be thinking about that one a lot harder with the rest of my post...
There's little landmarks so the things they use are the dead bodies frozen along the way.
See there's a point of no return where all climbers agree 'it's every man for themselves' past that point. This is because you can't carry more supplies than what you yourself need. You can't carry rescue supplies. So it's a 'if you need rescued past this point, you've got to rescue YOURSELF' kind of thing going on.
So those landmarks are people who were intentionally not rescued!
There's stories of 50+ climbers passing people by on the way up & encountering other climbers who BEGGED them for help. They were still alive for those 50+ people on the way down & they each left them to die & become Everest horror story landmarks that you'll pass by...
So when you pass those bodies & see their faces, you're looking at their BEGGING for their life faces frozen from that day forward!
Everest also causes people to hallucinate from the thin air.
For some reason people get really hot & rip off their clothes & freeze to death. Others jump off the cliff.
So when you see these bodies it's a real life fucking reminder of what might happen to you & there's HUNDREDS of bodies there where this shit happened to!
Imagine climbing this & your loved one needs helped. Nobody including you can do shit to help them. You'll have to live with that if you live but you'll be dying knowing you'll become a landmark....
@@ClickClack_Bam is this from personal experience? Because....wow. I was thinking while watching this that john is still in that cave, even in death, forever entombed, which i hope isn't true. But hearing your story...i bet those frozen 100s of people still wander that mountain in death. Perhaps they cheer on those nearing the summit that still live? Or do they trek on, eventually reaching the top, and wait there? Heh. The idea of 100s of ghosts sitting atop mount Everest.... that gives one chills, no pun intended.
@@ClickClack_Bam This sounds to be on the opposite end of the spectrum that "being stuck in a tight cave system" might inhabit-- but psychologically speaking.
Where death surrounds you in a corporeal, physical form, reminding you of just how close you are to your mortality when up on everest or K2, there's the vast lack of reminders, but all the varying possibilities of different potential ways to die in a cave system lurking in the back of your mind, ready to spring up at a moment's notice.
How will I die first if I got stuck in a small crawlspace? Lack of oxygen? Will I die of thirst?
Maybe I'll die a week later from hunger, as I slowly come to grips days before that this is how I'm going to die--slowly in the dark, essentially burried alive because my physiology locked me in such a position that only way out was to somehow break my bones and simultaneously crawl backwards and out.
I think--personally-- dying in the free environment of Everest, with the cold, and thin air ensuring you definitely won't suffer for much too long after, would be a sort of cold comfort, juxtaposed to being trapped from ever moving again against rock and earth.
There's also the lingering hope of being saved--however faint and unlikely--would be far easier than in a cave system under who knows how much tonnage of earth and rock, with every inch you progress into the cave system making it that much harder to get to you.
That, and the fact that my body will not be forever lost in an uncharted cave system, but stand as a warning for others to not take plight in my follies, lands Everest as not the worst way to die for me.
This is of course, in comparison to an unplanned burial, as you scream for help. But help can only do so much if it ever comes, while youre slowly dying in the span of days, because maybe you're unlucky and could still breathe freely as you cry to the cold void for help that will only be answered in your decay.
Good thing no one explores cave systems on their own, and the worst thing to happen while being saved is the caves collapse as they try to drill out an escape.
@@CiaronCinnfhaelidh The same ways exist on Everest to die as in a cave system for the better part of it. Maybe minus the flooding that could happen.
You could fall into a deep crevasse. You'll be pinned just like in a caving system but in the Sub-Zero temps. If you can't climb out you're stuck in place just like a cave.
Avalanche, rock slide could have you smashed in place & your likelihood of being rescued IS ZERO unlike the few people that have EVER been stuck while caving.
So you're a MILLION-fold times safer while caving than on Everest with it's 4% death rate.
K2 with it's 30% death rate.
Show me ANY cave with those numbers.
The reminders on Everest are everywhere. Hundreds of reminders. There are dead bodies everywhere. They're used as landmarks.
I think you'd feel different once you've passed by 200 dead bodies & then got yourself stuck in a bad way. No cave system shows you the death, the real death you'll be facing.
@@ClickClack_Bam yes you already said all of that on the other comment...geez...just because thst obviously scares the hell out of you many of us find this situation much scarier @
I've heard this story a dozen times on RUclips. But you present it in the most perfect way possible. All facts, no sensationalism, and just personal enough that we get an honest portrayal and yet feel all the angst of all involved as well.
there's something oddly touching about the caves being plugged off as a resting place for him. a lot of the time you'd have people trying to sweep these incidents under the rug so it's bittersweet that even trapped down there, he has some sort of dignified grave.
I don't know how to feel about that, honestly. On the one hand, what's the point of endangering more lives attempting to recover the body. On the other... he never escaped, not even in death. He's still down there. Still upside-down in the dark. That just feels horrible to me.
@@EaglesQuestions The thought of a single pile of bones and clothes in a dark, silent cave is horrifying to me
"he has some sort of dignified grave." Not if said grave is something called "The Nutty Putty Cave"... just sayin'
Been watching this channel long enough that when I heard the owner was going to dynamite the cave I thought “what is he trying to hid”
Not too many have tombs that big these days
I really appreciate how this channel handles death. Emphasis isn't placed on shock and horror, but instead there is a considerable amount of respect given to those who have passed.
i agree. all the vids iv seen on this channel do a good job of remembering the humanity of the victims and it doenst feel as callous as some other similar channels
Check out Mr. Ballen. He’s also very good at storytelling and is respectful of the deaths and even did a story about John Jones’s death which is how I found this channel.
@@UncoordinatedPixie I'll have to take a look, thank you!
Completely agree. He shows so much respect for the people who lost their lives, and gives people an opportunity to not only learn about them, but also learn from others mistakes.
Till you get to the comment section.
This is probably one of the most terrifying videos you’ve made. I felt my body tense up as you described his position and how he could barely breathe
Watch the movie The Last Decent as it is about this. Very good movie.
@@TheJer1963 just watched this video and saw your comment. I'm now watching this movie on Tubi.
@MARQUIS de QUEENSBURY 5.0 Pretty sure that fall after the bolt came out killed him. The labored breathing was probably as he passed away from a broken blood vessel in his head. It was already a danger before his whole body dropped suddenly... imagine afterwards.
Yeah im scared of driving or walking into tunnels or under bridges cause they can collapse on you, i would never go in a cave. Thats just my biggest fear. Im not claustrophobic but this is still a big NO
My anxiety about claustrophobic spaces is absolutely EXPLODING as I watch this. I can't even imagine going into a cave and crawling through passages like this. I would be dead from a heart attack before I could even die of anything else. Absolutely horrifying
there was too much foreshadowing for pia not to die like that. if they did do some kind of fight.. that would be defeating the purpose of this episode, i feel, since it would be the most dramatic ending and therefore the most entertaining, the most sadistic
Same here bro
A friend of mine had gone through these caves, the weekend before John got stuck. Several of us had a conversation about the dangers of the cave, which my friend shrugged off. What a horrible way to die. I’m glad they sealed it off.
What was your friend’s reaction when they heard about this?😳
His friend shrugged.
ABOVE GROUND EXPLORATION seems more fun to me. There’s a whole planet of adventure
.
I wanted it to be blasted but sure sealing works too.
Yeah corse he did
@@sriharshacv7760 It was, at least the area where John got stuck. They collapsed the ceiling with explosive charges.
Am I the only one who would be way too terrified to go into this cave in the first place? How is this fun to people? I guess I’m too scared of dark places and creepy crawlies and the monsters from the descent.
I know! It's not even like it would be cool to see! You have to crawl through it like a damn worm! Caving is not for me, but I get why people wanna go in ones that have rivers and caverns and stalagmites and places they have to rappel past. This crap was nothing but a super tight rock tube they whole entire way. Why?!?
Yess lol exactly!!
My husband tried to get me to go with him to some caves on our Honeymoon (we went to a Dude Ranch in Arkansas). I had a severe panic attack almost immediately and had to back out. Not my idea of a fun time!!!
It would never, ever dawn on me to slip inside a small crack or hole in a rock for fun!!
God yes the thought of the shit down there alone would keep me out much less the tightness. Then there's not enough freaking air down there so WHY WOULD YOU GO THAT'S NOT FUN. I think people have just grown up romanticizing explorers and want to think they'll find some magical undiscovered crap in these holes. No THANK YOU.
AND those that go into holes like this but UNDER WATER are even MORE psycho. Nothing is worth dying for especially a stupid "thrill."
The only thrills I want to seek and discoveries I want to make are awesome sales at my local art store. UGH
When you realise claustrophobia is not something that makes you weak but is literally your body and mind making you realise the worst that could happen. Never ignore your body's signs guys.
Uhhh, not really. Every phobia is irrational, that is literally the definition of phobias. If you are actually in danger and are scared, that's normal. If you can't go into a small room because it's small even though it is perfectly structurally sound and there is no danger, you have a problem.
Ive always went with intuition and seem to mostly be ok. Never been hirt too bad thankfully
It's a phobia for a reason. It's irrational. Like the other person said you could be perfectly safe even if in your in a tight spot but your brain is making you panic when there's no reason to. Thats not normal. Being genuinely stuck in a cave and not being able to get out isn't claustrophobic. It's being in actual danger and you have every reason to panic.
@@Becksnnc Being scared of spiders and small spaces aren't irrational fears. What the fuck is irrational about that?
Fear is something that kept human race alive though.
It's relate to our deep and primitive survival instinct
like a warning system.
I remember I was exploring a cave far shallower than this one, and 100% charted. There was one spot where you had to shimmy between the ceiling and the floor and it was so skinny that even a slender person like me had to suck it in to fit through, and even then it was slow going. It probably took about 60 seconds to get through. During that time I thought "if there is an earthquake right now, this is it."
I haven't gone caving since. I stick to safer hobbies like motorcycling without full gear.
Haha. Without full gear. I’ve never been in a cave where I couldn’t stand up freely.
I hope that worker is doing well. They never mention the futures of the attempted rescuers in these videos but being so involved in such a horrible death has to leave some trauma..
One of my best friends works in wilderness/cave safety, rescue, and mapping. Asked him something akin to "What do you do about trauma from loss on the job" once. His answer was along the lines of, "You just do the best you can for the person in need. Take it as far as you can without becoming another person in need of help from injury, trapped, or lost and, if things go bad, know that you did all you could to save them." He did say a lot of people burn out due to the stress and loss. Which, after watching this video, I am sure you can see why.
He walked out on his own…not sure how concerned we should really be. That is indicative of someone doing fine
@@jtfike He means mentally. Seeing trauma creates trauma.
@@HolyTurtleOfDoom He (Ryan) was also severely injured when the pulley struck him in the face. I read his tongue was almost cut in half and his upper lip was so swollen it drooped down over his chin. I read an article that gives some updates on the rescue workers, and they definitely experienced trauma as you said. I heard several of them never went into a cave again after that.
@@jtfike probably with a severe concussion and disorientation about what was happening around him
This has got to be the worst way to die. Watching stuff like this really makes me appreciate life and the people I have.
Is that so, darth tyrannus?
only one i think is worse is the mossdale caves incident, they were doing this while the cave got flooded - not only were they stuck but the water rushed in and they drowned too - its quicker but i;d rather have time to say goodbye to my family at least.
You sure didn't appreciate Jedi Sifo Dyas's life
I can’t look at that pfp and not think “lollipop”
@@screamindog8772 “cavities on a stick”
You know, I'm used to watch videos on gruesome crimes or weird stuff like that and my tolerance for "horror" stuff is pretty high, but this for some reason hits differently. As you were describing the events unfold, I found myself breathing abnormally, feeling unwell and very anxious. The idea of getting stuck somewhere dark that you cant move a single muscle and slowly dying as you witness rescuers unable to help you... Is just the ultimate nightmare from my perspective. Now seeing how he is a skeleton still stuck down there truly makes my mind uneasy.
Same, when I first heard about this story years ago I was absolutely horrified and disturbed by the entire terrible ordeal of people trying to bring him out and failing. Like playing tug of war with the jaws of a monster only to leave him there. In a dark, cold, claustrophobic cave, alone. I think it’s because every aspect of this story goes against just every person’s inherent fear of suffocatingly small spaces and the dark and being trapped alone. If this story doesn’t keep people getting into these terrifying situations, idk what will
Yep I found out about this story when I was in year 6 at school and I generally couldn’t sleep for days and I will never now go into a crawl tight cave ever even though it was 4 years ago I still feel the pain and suffering the poor guy went through I just hope they never open the cave again because he deserves to have a peaceful resting place. Rest peacefully John
It definetly feels like his soul might also be trapped down there, unable to get out
his body wouldn't even be in the same place now, remember he couldn't fit through the hole and he was upside down. as his body was decaying, eventually, it fell through whatever hole he was in. so..... that means randomly, weeks to months later in that sealed up silent cave, there was an ehco, a bomb of a body falling somewhere. and then. silent once more.
@@barbararab6390 you are a ridiculous person
3:50 the way he tells it gives me shivers. Amazing storytelling ability
John's biggest mistake was separating from his brother. Josh was the one who studied the map and planned the trip. John knew very little about nutty putty. His lack of knowledge about the cave plus his determination to show Josh that he wasn't afraid combined with his certainty that he had found the birth canal were a series of fatal mistakes. Most people would have called their partner over to say they'd found the entrance. I don't know any caver who would go into such a tight crawl without notifying at least one other person first. Don't go caving alone!
@Saitama Baldy you don't understand the concept of Darwin award.
@Saitama Baldy this comment is discriminatory, reported
@Saitama Baldy bro what’s wrong w u💀💀🤣
@Saitama Baldy that is so foul
No, his biggest mistake was going through a tight hole almost straight down HEAD first. I mean, that's just dumb. Why would you go in head first? That's a great way to get stuck AND make it difficult to nearly impossible to be pulled out. I don't get it. He sealed his own fate the instant he started squeezing in the wrong way.
Being stuck and unable to move in the dark with millions of tonnes of stone and earth surrounding you.. aka my worst nightmare
I think at that point I'd just ask them to bring a gun down and shoot me
@@kenirainseeker539 how tho, he cant even move his hand. Not to mention upside down
Agreed. Just add water slowly seeping in around you.
Me too Ben, me too.
so basically he was buried alive
I feel so awful, like survivors guilt, and I wasn’t even there with the poor man. I cannot fathom how the rescuer who was there in those last moments and heard his final words feels to this day.
And they probably could have saved him if that bolt and rock hadn't given way.
Thank you! That's what I was feeling but I couldn't put words around it. Poor guy.
you seem very fragile lol
@@joshgobble probably. I’m a chick.
@@joshgobble It's called empathy you edgelord
The fall itself is likely what killed him. I get that he was still breathing raggedly afterwards, but with blood pooling in his head for so long, a fall that was almost certainly headfirst onto solid rock must have ruptured something and caused his brain to haemorrhage. It's a terrible, hollow truth, but he probably didn't suffocate to death in the end.
How exactly is your conjecture considered a truth?
I hope so. Because as an almost-MD (4th year med student), he knew exactly what was happening as his body had been shutting down. I hope the fall knocked him out instantly so he never knew more than he was going to get out.
@@crosisofborg5524Because I understand the medical science behind the issue regardless of whether or not you do, and that makes it a probable theory, not baseless conjecture. He stopped speaking after the fall for a reason.
When I heard that he wasn’t responding, I felt relief that the terror was over for him, even if it did tragically mean his death
He literally crawled into that crevice. He was still lucid when the attempts were made to rescue him.
His body is still there, this is horrifying
I wonder if he could've wiggle his way upside down, so that he'd face the other way and lay on his back instead of his stomach, so they could pull him out
Narrator flat said he couldn't move at all.
@@danicaroseanne4265 nope he was stuck in an 18"x10" space
Well he’s now probably bones so they could possibly get him
@@lindsaydale307 he will have fallen by now. Once the flesh gave way.
Oh my god, this was my elementary principal's son. It was such a tragic event, and he was so heartbroken. Our teachers had us make cards and paper flowers to send to him when he came back to work, I still remember what I wrote in my card. He was never the same after that day, but I hope he's doing well (as well as you can be after losing your son so tragically.) This story still gives me cold sweats, and hearing the full details now as an adult makes it all the more tragic. RIP Jones
It’s sad to think about how this man must’ve felt when he got thousands of cards from students about his son. Probably broke down crying in his office. Life isn’t fair sometimes.
@@GreasyBehemoth God you're so right, and to keep working with kids and family must've made it so much more difficult after losing a child...it's a tragedy from all angles
@@Ro-the-redhead aaawwww that's so sad. I didn't know his dad was a principal. Did he ever speak about it?
@@mrsx7944 Not in my memory, but I was also so young I didn't grasp the seriousness of it all - there's a lot I probably missed. It was talked about only in whispers among students. I would not expect him to speak on it, I think he's retired now. I hope he's doing well!
That's pretty cool.
This reminds me of a story my grandad told me about when my dad was a kid. He was always exploring abandoned buildings and one day he broke into an abandoned salt mill and he was alone at the time. And somehow he managed to fall down the cavity between two sections of exterior wall. It was a tiny space that only a small child could fit down and he had fallen 3 stories down this gap, the gap was narrow enough to slow his fall but not narrow enough to stop him so all his face arms and legs were badly grazed as he fell but apart from that he was without injury, but stuck between two solid brick walls with each breath in causing his ribcage to make contact with both walls. He was stuck there for 4 hours screaming before a passer by who was actually a floor above because ground level was a floor above where he was stuck, and luckily a lady heard him and got help and they actually had to break through the wall to get him out. That story has haunted me my whole life.
Damn Somethee ! The -es of been curious ! XCLNT he had the better fate ! Fiuuu ! ✔️☝️😱😱😊👍👍👍👍
Dude... You almost didn't exist
I've been scraped by brick. Rugburn x 70.
That's pretty terrible. I'm glad someone finally heard and hopefully he was more careful after that. Your grandparents must've been extremely upset as well.
Urban exploration is fun. But ALWAYS have a buddy. Im glad your grandpa got out.
I remember watching the movie on this incident and had an anxiety attack just watching the movie and picturing being in that situation. Upon further investigation of this- the movie sugarcoats alot of the circumstances.
The fact that until the rescue came he was in darkness, he suffered from hallucinations and a few panic attacks, he couldn’t breathe, his legs hurt like hell (and the only thing to help the pain was a UV in his toe that they gave him like 15-20 hrs into being stuck) and the thing that acually killed him- a very painful organ failure & a heart attack, all while hanging UPSIDE DOWN knowing that he was leaving his child and wife who was expecting the two’s 2nd child.
THEY MADE A MOVIE OF THIS???
Can you imagine the moment when he realized that he was NEVER going to get out?
I’d like to think he was in full denial and gradually became delirious.
I would also for a gun and to be alone
He was most likely knocked unconscious when he dropped back down, that rush of blood and that jerking stop when he had already been in that state for so long was probably too much for his brain.
I'd like to think that besides the snapping rope, his final moments were spent with a sense of relief at being able to at least see someone again, if only briefly...
OMG 😱🤢😥
@@mojopopo He couldn't even kill himself. His arms were locked in place one arm behind his back and the other I forgot where but useless.
My heart started racing when I saw the diagram of how he was stuck upside down. I can't even imagine how horrible it was for John and in the deep darkness of the cave. I don't think I could have been calm. I would be screaming and begging to die. Being so close to rescue yet so far... RIP John 🙏 😭
Upside down is the thing that killed him. He could have survived in normal position for so much longer
I had heard he was vertical as I've heard and seen other videos about John before but the fact that we got to SEE how he was positioned... that makes it so much worse. I had a small panic attack going into a 5 and a half foot tall cave near Eureka Springs Arkansas.. I cant imaging going into one where you have to crawl to get anywhere. What a horrible way to die.
From what I've read, he was surprisingly calm the whole time.
The same... smh... so terrifying. I would of asked for a gun and shot myself. Something. 19+ hrs in that position in the dark narrow passage...
But it's stupid to say that; cause I would never die like that. Or go cane exploring. I will walk into a big cave or cavern. Honestly caving is one of my biggest fears... I went to college in Alaska with three caver friends from Missouri. Never knew how they done it. BIG FUCK THAT! #rantOVER
No. He wasn’t. Suzy (the first rescuer) has said that John was inconsolable at times and screaming to the point he would throw up. His brother was able to calm him down some by singing church hymns and praying with him.
Seeing that diagram of his position in th cave freaked me out.
He's the no 1 Stupid human in my book..
Just see tht narrow passage who cud really think they can make it through tht hole..
@@DavO_666 show some respect idiot. John had no way of knowing he was in the wrong cave system, he trusted what he thought was the birth canal, nothing of this is to be blamed on him. This was a set of unfortunate circumstances that at many moments could have been avoided
@@hitrapperandartistdababy No fck anyone wid brain can easily figure it out how narrow tht passage is. Ya He earned my respect for showing how to not to be dumb as him.
@Endless Sporadic Living life means doing things not always safe. Have you ever gone for a bike ride or hiked in the mountains? Ever took a swim in the ocean or gone for a drive? Guess what? You just risked your life needlessly.
He went into that cave knowing it was beginner friendly. He wasnt trying to challenge himself by going a harder route, he kept to the known path or so he thought. Now had he explored some unknown caves on purpose I would agree it was stupid, but fucking hell he went to a beginner friendly cave for some light cave exploring!
@@DavO_666 how the fuck would you know how narrow the passage where? He was crawling around in a dark tight space and hadnt tried out the cave before. All he knew was that the section he thought he was in was supposed to be narrow and so he kept going. How the fuck can you have the audacity to tell what he should have known or could have known when you wherent there?
I truly can't imagine how John felt. This is absolutely horrific. I'm clostrophonic & am struggling to breathe just watching this!
Surely his "god" could have saved him, or given him the wisdom to not go into a clay fucking hole beneath the earth upside down.
Don't go caving when your wife is pregnant. Just don't.
@Dominique Z forreal. Unless your single. Have no family left. Or generally hate living
DJ Penguin .... or you’re "a glutton for punishment," because this particular case was an agonizing way to go. Slow, and painful. I think I’d opt for stepping in front of a train. (Though it would be traumatizing for the train driver.)
@@spiritmatter1553 yeah dude honestly if I was in his situation I would say. "Weve done everything we can do...i appreciate everything you brave men and women did for me now pump me full of morphine and give me a lethal dose of anything quick so my family doesent watch me suffer" absolutely horrible man.
DJ Penguin poor dude
D J it’s unlikely morphine would have any effect due to how he was positioned. It probably wouldn’t have even reached his heart, much less been able to get back out of his heart and into his body.
There is a very old Cavers saying - 'Think once before you go feet first, think twice before you go head first'. This saying has gone through my mind many, many times over 20 years of (safe) caving.
Does it say anything about thinking three times before willingly getting into ANY dark, confined spaces underground? Maybe should be added to the repertoire...just a suggestion :)
@@MusgraveRitual Hi there,
You make a valid point for normal, sensible people, but Cavers are simple folk, thinking about something three times will make us feel dizzy!!
Dizziness is bad enough when it's due to dangling over some bottomless abyss on a rope, or due to having too many beers after a really good caving trip.
Making oneself dizzy by thinking three times is just not going to happen!
In all seriousness, after 40 years of caving and taking many people underground, I can say with some authority that people fall into 3 categories:
Type 1, wouldn't dream of going underground.
Type 2, have a go once, then become Category 1.
Type 3, absolutely love caving, getting wet, muddy, cold, scared, seeing places that only a tiny minority of people ever see. PLUS there is always the possibility that you will find (dig/dive/climb) somewhere that no human has ever been before.
Regards Paul in NZ
@@pauln1557 Hey, takes all kinds to fill this God's green Earth, even the kinds who decide to forgo all that beauty and greenery for crawling in the mud in the dark tunnels underground. I personally don't understand it, but free will and all that...:) Stay safe!
@@pauln1557 Yeah, I was definitely type 2. I went into a mud cave once, and now I will not go into any more caves (excluding the extremely safe commercialized ones, like the one in Louisville.)
@@MusgraveRitual 💔😂😂
I have literally never felt this much anxiety just lying in bed.
Same...rough.
Same 🤣
Me too. What a horrifying fate.
Same lmao
same
To think he died literally the day before Thanksgiving. That must have been a hard one for his family to endure. :(
Imagine dying so tragically in a place called the Nutty Putty Cave.
Actually when I clicked on the video I thought it was about a miniature golf place or something...
Actually when I clicked on the video I thought it was about a miniature golf place or something...
Imagine a piano falling on your head. Wouldn't really matter though, would it? That's the whole point of being dead?
@@NeilMalthus Imagine the world's largest rubberband ball instead, or the sculpture of a giant highchair.
It's awful but the point was that someone died by something childish and whimsical sounding whose name makes people instinctively laugh or smile, no matter how much sympathy they have for you. It's unintentionally undignified.
How you're remembered is a part of yourself that you leave behind when you die, so it does have weight wity many people and those that remember them.
It's unfortunate, though I'd want to make them smile, probably not that way. Someone I loved had a relative choose a photo they wanted wiped off the face of the earth for being unflattering as the main photo used in all the funeral/rememberance of life ceremony.
That I could life with ...er die with. A bad hair day photo that only makes those who knew me well crack up during the service.
His poor wife was probably waiting outside that cave sobbing her eyes out, and only praying that her husband would survive
Imagine her having to explain to their child the his/her dad died in a “nutty putty” cave.
It’s gets worse. I had the opportunity to hear her talk about her side of the experience. They were able to lower a radio for her to talk to him and she had her last words with him about an hour before he passed.
Makes it worse when you find out he had a 1 year old with another on the way :(
true but he wanted that darwin award really bad
@@kv2315 Congratulations on not understanding whatsoever the concept of the "Darwin award".
I've heard this story told several times and since the first time, I panic during the story and think about it fairly often in my daily life. Not too many things genuinely haunt my thoughts and dreams but this is 100% one of the worst fates anyone can experience or I could ever imagine. Truly, absolutely nightmare fuel.
Caving = nope. Risking your life like that when you've got kids is incredibly selfish in my opinion.
I genuinely feel bad for John. Dude was in the worse state he can be and tried to remain calm. I feel nothing but sorrow for him and I can’t imagine what he was going through. He was a strong guy.
It was stupid and selfish of him to do something that risky with a wife,daughter,and another kid on the way. I feel sorry for his family...not for him.
@@dr.loomis4221 He didn’t know that the cave would be a dead end narrow incline… he just thought it was a narrow passageway on the map. You can’t blame him
@@dr.loomis4221 He went in an area that was unmapped meaning nobody knew it existed. It was a tragic accident.
@@dr.loomis4221 i agree with you. Its hard to feel bad for him when he did this to himself. Ive seen cave crawling videos. Why would you intentionally go into a tiny space where you cant even turn over… why is it shocking he got stuck ???
@@idkanymore2522 Do none of you fucking watch these videos? Seriously, piss off if you're not gonna bother getting the facts or watching the frigging video. The guy thought he was in a different section of the cave, which was mapped. He made a mistake and went into an uncharted territory accidently and that's how he got stuck. Ffs man, it's like you people wanna just fucking cast your judgement without even understanding the poor lads situation. Dude has more heart and grit in 1 day, than you'll ever have in a life time.
One thing that wasn't mentioned was that when the path kept getting more & more narrow, he exhaled to get as much air out of his lungs to be able to squeeze through. So being upside down, not being able to see anything, and not being able to take a full breath is terrifying
Which is really stupid on his part.
He should have just stopped but no he was simply too stubborn.
@silverfoxeater He is absolutely right, though. His death was regrettable, but entirely preventable, his lack of common sense was the real cause of his death. He made a long series of very preventable mistakes and decisions.
@@lucyk.5163 Yeah, well, everybody makes mistakes.
@ MechaChurch
He had a wife, a little girl and another child on the way. He obviously wasn’t thinking about them.
@@jogman262 Here we have another Internet genius that can always tell what people are thinking and feeling 24/7. Magical ability you got there.
Such a tragic and mortifying incident. Reminds me of the Everest corpses, how the remains of hundreds of people who died climbing it are still there to this day, frozen and half buried in the snow with no means of retrieving them.
At least, in Everest you have a incredible view before the end. John died in the middle of darkness😔...
Mortifying? Do you know what that word means?
There are n bodies on Everest that climbers can see. All have been either brought down, buried under rocks or pushed over the side. Even Green Boots has been missing from his cave since 2014. China did a great job on the clean up.
Mate, I thought the exact same thing about the Everest corpses. So I went trolling through the comments to see if anybody else thought the same. And so here I am. This is a really tragic event. At least John got a decent burial with the sealing of the cave.
@@paraic9163 I don't know about you, but I would be embarrassed if I died in a place called "Nutty Putty Cave."
Recently I had my very first and exciting caving experience. The cave was huge, brightly lit, had hundreds of people walking upright, with rails to hold onto. It smelled like a wet basement but there was no sense of doom and gloom, just beauty. I gotta give people props for venturing outside the norm and doing what they love despite the risks. RIP to John.
I am so deeply bothered that we didn't end up getting him out. That's really horrifying and sad to think he is still there in that position. Heartbreaking
I feel the same.
Well if it can be of any comfort to you, he's most likely not in that position anymore. He's probably reduced to bones, and the bones will have eventually fallen down into a pile at the bottom of the hole he was stuck in.
@@krystallvinter7438 that’s only marginally better. I’m glad he’s probably not stuck in that position anymore, but it still saddens me that his remains are trapped in that place, especially knowing that he so desperately wanted out.
@@krystallvinter7438 see that's the part I'm not totally sure of because he very well could become preserved. The conditions seem like they could preserve the body. But your right, I have seen exhumed graves the are only 200 years old and the bones often get moved around from soil collapses and stuff like that. You even see that with old crypts
@@krystallvinter7438 he's underground he's just decomposed like those Egyptian mummies
"beginner friendly"
Uh no.
Beginner friendly is like, fucking mammoth cave. You walk in, stick to the path, look up at how big it is, listen to the tour guide, look at the big icky spiders, get scared by a bat, turn around, walk out, buy an overpriced geode and t-shirt and call it a day.
That's beginner.
For spelunking
Exactly! 🙄
That’s my type of cave
not even I would go in these
Get scared by a bat? And leave? Mammoth cave is a beautiful geographic location, I could never dumb it down to that.
Me : That one man death was so anxiety inducing and horrible, that I now have to relax with a more soothing video.
Fascinating horror : 300 deaths at a water slide !
Me : that will do.
Haha! Curiosity killed the 🐈!!!
Can you direct me to that video?
@@jkx85 Sure, follow the trail of organs on the ground
@@jkx85 Sounds like Action Park, just look at Fascinating Horror's videos if it hasn't popped up in your recommendations by now!
Bwahahhaha you are my people.
I’ve never though of myself as claustrophobic but I could barely get through this. The terror that young man must’ve felt. The thought makes my stomach churn. What a terrible situation.
I went to the Mammoth Caves with my family when I was a kid, and the guide told us of a caving death where a man got pinned and died. I think he expected the narrow passageway to expand further along, so he exhaled to squeeze past the tight spot, only to discover that the tight spot only got narrower. When he breathed in, his chest expanded and he became thoroughly stuck with his arms pinned to his sides. The more he tried to breathe, the more he got stuck. They had illustrated slides for us to see, and the story really stuck with me. What a terrible way to die, so utterly helpless in absolute pitch black darkness.
It’s strange to think that people know exactly where the victims are, but getting them out is impossible so their corpses are just there to this day, in absolute silence and darkness.
He too was completely upside down and although his knees bent on the way down they would have to bend completely backwards on the way out so they could not get him out his legs would have had to have been broken which they probably should have done
He too was completely vertical upside down and although his knees bent correctly on the way down they would have had to break them to pull him out which they probably should have done but then they would have to break all of his ribs also
That's the haunting thought there for me... somewhere in caves there's an unretrievable body that's just there. Got stuck and died there. Inside the caverns of the cave, tho the entrance was cemented, there's a body, a corpse that was stuck... ಠ_ಠ
That was Floyd Collins at Sand Cave. About 20 min from Mammoth Cave
I wonder if animals that die in caves have the same impact on the cave ecosystem as a whale fall does for the ocean floor ecosystem.
I’d rather die in a paragliding accident than be stuck upside down in a cave
........for eternity!!!
At least the paraglider would be quick.
as long as we get to see you on RUclips, cool
TKOR
@@Aphid121 I'll check it out
This somehow made me feel more physically ill than some of the much gorier stories.
I noticed that too. Something about how he was stuck, upside down, in the dark, in something smaller than a washing machine door - ugh! It makes me feel sick to my stomach!
Agreed! I think it’s just so ominous and truly one of the worst ways to die. It’s so eerie how passive and drawn out the ordeal was too.
It was definitely a panic inducing story.
@@daffers2345 I agree this made me so anxious
Personally honestly the worst I’ve seen among them so far