A Mississippi man was safely rescued after spending nearly two days lost in the woods near his home. On Friday, September 20, 2024, around 4:30 p.m., the Leake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a missing man near 127 Ott Jones Road.

Deputies were informed by Mrs. Shirley Ferguson that she and her husband, Doyle Ferguson, had ventured into the woods Thursday around noon. The couple became disoriented and spent the night in the forest. The next day, Shirley left her husband by a tree to search for water and help but was unable to find her way back to him. She eventually made it out of the woods and contacted authorities.

The Leake County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Randy W. Atkinson, quickly mobilized a search effort. Drones were deployed with assistance from the Winston County Sheriff’s Office, and local volunteer fire departments, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, and Leake County emergency management personnel joined the search.

Mr. Ferguson was located on Saturday afternoon, September 21, 2024, and transported to Leake Baptist Emergency Department for treatment of minor medical issues.

Sheriff Atkinson praised the collaborative effort of all agencies involved in the search and expressed gratitude for the positive outcome, calling it “truly a miracle.” He thanked the volunteers and emergency responders who contributed to the successful rescue, including Leake Emergency Management, Leake 9-1-1 Communications, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks.