WALLOWA, Ore. -- A 6-year-old boy who spent a cold, rainy night lost in the mountains hiked 18 miles to safety and told a woman who found him he wanted to keep going until he reached his grandfather's house 8 miles further.
Cody Sheehy, son of Marcie and Dennis Sheehy, became lost in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon while on a picnic with his family Sunday afternoon. A sheriff's posse, hampered by rainstorms and 30-degree temperatures, searched through the night without success.
Helicopters and search dogs were on their way to the area Monday morning when word came that Sheehy, a 3-foot-10, 40-pound first grader, walked out of the mountains and found the home of Beverly Hansen on the outskirts of Wallowa.
'He didn't want her to call anyone. All he wanted to do was walk to his grandpa's place,' sheriff's dispatcher Pam McBride said. 'He was headed in the right direction and had about 8 miles to go.
'He said his feet were a little tired and he wanted a drink. But he wanted to keep going. That's a lot of stamina for a little tiny boy.'
Hansen kept the youth until deputies arrived. They calculated he walked in circles, covering about 18 miles before he emerged on Smith Mountain Road 10 air miles from where he became lost.
'I was surprised he could walk that far,' his mother said.
The youth, who was wearing a winter coat, sweat pants and sneakers, disappeared about 2 p.m. PDT Sunday and his family searched for about two hours before summoning the sheriff. A posse of two dozen plus friends and relatives combed the area.
His mother said the boy told her he hid during the night from a motorcycle and a helicopter.
'There wasn't a helicopter out there. He must have been hallucinating,' she said. 'He slept for awhile.'
'He's flat out on the couch with very sore feet,' she said. 'Otherwise, he's in very good shape.'
