After surviving two nights in the woods in a remote part of Liberty County, Texas, a missing 23-year-old Louisiana man is safe and has been reunited with his family. Zachary Godette disappeared on Friday while mowing a pipeline right-of-way for his employer.
In the days after his disappearance, searchers scoured parts of a remote 30,000-acre hunting lease at the end of Gates Road in Devers. On Sunday, the third day in the search, Godette emerged from the woods with only minor cuts and a few bug bites.
“He was in a pretty chipper mood despite his ordeal,” said Sgt. Paul Young, a spokesperson for the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.
Young was the first member of law enforcement to reach Godette.
“He walked out of the woods not too far from where he had left his mower on Friday. One of his family members actually saw him,” Young said.
After a cursory check of Godette’s condition, Young transported Godette to a medical team that was standing by at the command center.
“He met with paramedics. He is pretty cut up from mosquitoes and water fans (palmetto leaves). He was using the water fans to cover up to keep mosquitoes off of him. He had been drinking out of hog holes,” Young said.
After being checked out by paramedics, and getting food and water, and a fresh set of clothes, Godette was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont for further medical evaluation.
“He told me he just got lost. I told him he is very lucky to be alive,” said Young, adding that first responders are always elated when they get to be part of a happy ending. “A lot of times in cases like these, you don’t get to walk out alive. He is very lucky.”
Note: Bluebonnet News is hoping to speak to Godette to learn more about his experiences throughout the ordeal.
Thank you again!
This is GOD’s Mercy Luck have nothing to do with it, And I am not disputing what Young said, but just making a point of how Good GOD is, Also, I do agree with Young, He is blessed to come out of the woods alive. Whatever happened, GOD knows, And the young man is alive, I hope he remembers to give thanks to GOD and to all the ” First Responders” And all the people who came out to look for him. Thanks again to you all!
Very happy to see this. Thank you Lord and all the good folks who worked to find him. It’s so easy to make one wrong turn in the deep woods and be totally lost.
Glad your ok Zachary. I too, was praying for you night and day. Hey, you might consider taking a parasite cleanse after this. Those hog holes are loaded with invisible critters!