This sounds like a Jason Bourne film. But someone discovered a California hiker bloodied, beaten, and possibly stabbed. The hiker has no memory of what happened.
The first-time hiker was covered in blood and also wet. Six teenage campers and their counselors discovered 34-year-0ld Sashank Upadhyayula near the Lost Coast Trail at the end of June, according to the Lost Coast Outpost. He was obviously very cold with soaked clothes and he was shaking when they found him.
The counselors alerted authorities about what happened. They managed several wounds and tried to warm the hiker in a sleeping bag and tarp. They also used hot water bottles, heated on a camping stove, to try to raise his body temperature.
"The campers were all just really, really helpful and steady and kind," camp program director Maria Vollmar told the local publication. "Sol and Jack just really did an amazing job helping this man." From what they gathered, the hiker said he had never gone hiking before and was out there alone. He said while hiking the trail someone attacked him, but he couldn't remember exactly what happened.
A helicopter transferred him to a local hospital to treat his wounds and hypothermia.
The hiker opened up about his experience. Upadhyayula said he heard someone prior to being attacked.
Hiker Possibly Attacked
"I remember hearing something. Being scared and removing my bear spray, my two knives, water reservoir and my electronics," he told the publication. "[I] made my way to the trail and collapsed after getting my mylar blanket. I covered my torso with the blanket and assumed fetal position to retain heat," he said.
He had various cuts across his body. "The doctors believe that it was a knife [or] bladed weapon," Upadhyayula said. "With my lack of memory and because my knives are missing and how I was separated from my pack and found quite a distance away ... it all points towards me being attacked."
The hiker reported his attack to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) King Range National Conservation Area Office. The sheriff is investigating.
"The HCSO is continuing to investigate this incident but there is currently no information to suggest there is any current/on-going threat to safety of the public along the Lost Coast Trail," the office said in a statement.
The man expressed thanks to those who helped him.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I cannot express my gratitude, you are doing God's work," he said. "I hope you achieve your dreams."
