Central Point man who went missing shares story

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — David Ura, an avid hiker from Central Point, set out on Bigfoot Trail in Northern California with plans to meet his kids a few days later, but didn’t show up.

That’s when his daughter, Ashley May Ura, coordinated search efforts and went looking for her dad.

David Ura says through it all, his biggest concern was his family worrying about him and wondering if he was okay. He says that’s what motivated him to continue on.

“What mattered is I know my family’s worried about me…,” said David Ura.

David Ura set out to tackle Bigfoot Trail on June 15th. He was supposed to meet his kids on June 21st, but never showed up. That’s when his daughter, Ashley May Ura, knew something was wrong.

“It’s not like my dad to just go missing…,” said Ashley May Ura.

Ashley May Ura took to social media asking for help even starting a Gofundme page; she knew the search area could be as big as 144-square miles.

Law enforcement and search and rescue teams took to the sky, but there was no sign of Ura.

That’s when Ashley May and her family decided to go looking on their own. Not long after they started, a miracle.

“After 26 miles of hiking and a few days, I came around the corner and there was may coming around the corner in her car and it was like bam…,” said David Ura.

“From there it was super surreal, I was like crying…shaking…,” said Ashley May Ura.

David and his furry companion, Kingsley, had been without water for 24 hours and without food for nearly 4 days.

He says they had been hiking for a few days when a heavy rainstorm covered the trail.

“When I was looking for the path, I had five liters of water…and between me and the dog that five liters did not last that long because of how hot it was,” said David Ura.

He then headed South hoping to find help. And while climbing a steep mountain in a hundred degree heat, his knee gave out. He was forced to leave behind some of his belongings behind, but was determined to keep going.

“You just know that without food you still have to go on…,” said David Ura. “Your survival mode just kind of kicks in and you know, from what you’ve learned all your days of doing this, you know what you need to do.”

Today, at 63-years old, David Ura says he’s still recovering. His ammonia levels were previously low causing him to forget things.

The two laugh about it all now, still debating about who found who first.

“I was like dad we found you. And he was like you didn’t find me I found you,” said Ashley May Ura. “I’m like okay, well thanks dad. We’ve been worrying about you this entire time.”

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