Lost in the Woods

This biography is focused on one of Caden Mitchell's most dangerous childhood experiences. In this non-fictional biography you will learn that he almost died from freezing to death in a Canadian winter storm.

I have had many difficult situations in my life but none as difficult as the day my life almost ended. To this day I have not had any experience as terrifying as this one.

I was five years old, living in Canada at the time. I often visited my father’s work at the power plant that was surrounded by thick Canadian forest. Today the sky was gray, and the ground was coated in a soft, white blanket of snow that was freshly fallen. The air was rather cold and crisp that day but at least it was not snowing. I decided to stay inside and drink hot chocolate.

The hot chocolate was warm to the touch and tasted so sweet to me as a small child. I finished it up quickly because it was getting boring inside with nothing to do but listen to my dad and his friend talk. I said goodbye to my dad and told him I would be outside playing with the dogs.

I stepped outside into the cold winter air. The cool breeze brushed up against my body sending shivers throughout me. I started running about and playing with the dogs and having a good time. Suddenly, my dog darted into the forest while the other dog, a black Labrador, chased behind her. I was scared for the dogs, afraid that they would not return so I too chased after them with no clue of what was soon to come.

I chased the dogs deep into the wilderness eager to catch them and return them to safety. I thought that I would be a hero that day. They must have kept running because they thought that

I was playing tag. When they finally stopped I had no way of knowing where I was. I had lost my sense of direction and was unable to find my way home. I scolded the dogs, I told them that they were bad because they got me lost. How dare they run off into the forest like that. I finished my yelling and when I came to it, I realized that I was very lost.

I was a young child, no older than five. I was separated from my family, my friends, and my home. I had no way to get back, and I had no way of communicating with my family. I was lost and I wouldn’t be coming home any time soon. I began to cry. I felt so bad. I had always taken warmth for granted. I was beginning to freeze and I could hardly even feel my own toes.

I began to wander the forest. It had started to snow, hard, covering up my every track. The only footprints that were visible were the tracks that had just been made two minutes ago. I was walking in circles, following my footsteps that had already been walked a thousand times. I finally realized, after walking the same path for several hours, that I was very lost.

I lost all hope. I decided to take a rest by an old dead tree. My dog ran all over the place playing happily but the lab stayed with me the whole time. The dog gave me comfort and warmth, and frankly, without him I would not be here.

I was freezing to the point of almost dying. I had nothing to keep me warm but a ten dollar coat and a dog. I heard what I thought to be fireworks but what was actually the sound of flares. I was scared but the dog started to walk away and I had no choice but to follow him for he was my only source of heat and protection.

The dog led me to my father who was shooting flares into the sky. I had never been happier to see a person in my life. He took me back to the power plant and warmed me up with some more hot chocolate. I realized that it was not a good idea to leave my family. I tried to save the dog from getting lost in the woods that day, but ironically, it was the dog that saved me.