Man found after 8 days lost in the Croatan National Forest remains hospitalized

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    CARTERET COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — After eight days missing in the Croatan National Forest, an eastern North Carolina man walked out alive over the weekend.

Joshua Clauson, 20, is now at Carteret Health Care in stable condition.

Rescue crews searched for Clauson in 15 square miles of the forest for five days before calling off the search.

A woman on Rams Horn Road in Newport saw Clauson as he was coming out of the forest near her home.

The woman said Clauson had scratches, bug bites and sunburn all over his body when she saw him.

When we talked to Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck on Sunday, he said Clauson was disoriented when he was first found and taken to the hospital.

Clauson did tell authorities he heard the helicopter that was searching for him but never heard the search and rescue teams in the forest.

“With the density of the forest and it being so thick, even though they were right overhead they weren’t able to see him,” Buck explained. “He must have been in an area where he wasn’t able to get to a clearing. He must have been in an area that was further away than our searchers.”

Buck also says Clauson survived for eight days with no food or shelter by drinking rainwater and added that his survival in the elements for so long is a miracle.

“Him with no food, no water, no shelter — certainly didn’t have the clothing to be out and dealing with it, it was a very concerning situation all the way around,” he said.

Clauson is expected to stay in the hospital for at least another day.

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