OGDEN, Utah - A hiker says being at the right place at the right time likely saved a young man's life over the weekend.
Justin Mingo was exploring Jumpoff Canyon when he heard someone screaming for help, but he had no idea where it was coming from.
"About halfway up I heard a voice, just someone up the canyon," Mingo said.
Mingo didn't hear the sound again for about ten minutes, so he continued on his way.
"I'm just picking up through the cliffs, kind of boulder a bit on both sides of the canyon," Mingo said.
That's when the voice turned into an ear piercing cry for help.
"He was just screaming this blood curtailing scream. I could tell he's hurting and he was scared," Mingo said.
Mingo started yelling back, but the hiker was lost somewhere in the rocky mountainside.
"There's this echo going on so I'm looking up in the cliffs and I don't see anything," Justin said.
With spotty service, Justin got through to 911 and ran down to show rescue crews where the man was at, still not knowing his injuries.
"There was a definite adrenaline push to get to him," he said.
When Mingo finally found the man, he was sitting in a puddle of blood.
"He was shocking you could tell. His leg was pretty hurt, he had a big gash on his head but you could tell he was happy to see somebody," Justin said.
The 20-year-old had a broken femur and couldn't move on his own.
"If I hadn't happened to be in the area, I couldn't imagine he'd make it through the night," Mingo said.
Rescue crews hoisted him out of the mountains and to the hospital.
"That's exactly what I keep saying to myself, right place, right time," Mingo said.
Rescue crews say this serves as a reminder of two things:
Make sure you when you're hiking you're prepared for the worst, and to spend a night if you have to.
If you're hiking, make sure you're aware of your surroundings because Mingo's awareness may have saved a man's life.
