This story is a great reminder of two of the most valuable tools for survival, preparation and tenacity. Be prepared, and when the unexpected happens, never give up. Our hats are off to John Sain, he did what he had to do and as result he survived to see his family again. Those that plan for the unexpected are ready to deal with it should the situation arrive.  

As Hunter S. Thompson said: "Luck is a very thin wire between survival and disaster, and not many people can keep their balance on it."

USA Today Network Bonnie Shelton, KTVB-TV, Boise, Idaho

A hunter who crawled for days through dense wilderness in search of help, is recovering in a Boise, Idaho hospital.

Alone and miles from the trail, John Sain had to dig deep to survive for almost four days in remote wilderness near McCall, Idaho, with little food and water.

"I honestly didn't think I was going to make it out," Sain said from his hospital bed.

Last Wednesday, Sain backpacked about six miles down the Jackson Creek Trail in the Salmon-Challis National Forest to set up camp for a few days.

The experienced hunter said he's been camping alone since he was 13-years-old. But after tracking an elk deep into the woods Thursday morning, something happened Sain couldn't have anticipated.

"I stepped up on a log, there were two logs, and my foot slipped in between them," he said. "My momentum went forward and it snapped the two bottom bones in my right leg, the tib and the fib, in half."

In a lot of pain, the 50-year-old started considering his options. "Contemplated on just ending it right there honestly," he said.

Sain had no cell service and was miles from the trail, but after writing emotional goodbye letters to his wife and two children, he made a decision.

He used sticks and ripped up cloth to make a splint for his injured right leg. Then, he began to crawl.

"For two and a half days I drug myself out of there," said Sain.

He had a survival kit with him, a little food and a water purifier. Each night, he would light a fire for warmth. But by Sunday, his fourth day alone, dehydrated and in severe pain, he started to break down. "I was done," he said.

But Sain's story wasn't. That afternoon, two men on motorcycles happened to come across him injured on the trail. One of those men rode back into cell service range and called for help.

"Thank God. I was praying the whole way that it would happen and it did. My prayers were answered for sure," said Sain.

McCall Fire and Rescue was sent out to find Sain and stabilize him. Over the phone, A McCall firefighter told KTVB-TV that people used chainsaws to clear the way for Life Flight to land in the dense wilderness.

Sain was flown to Saint Alphonsus in Boise for treatment. He's recovering from surgery on his right leg and is expected to be in the hospital for the next few days as he continues to heal.

The 50-year-old's wife and two kids have flown to the Treasure Valley from California to be with him.

"It was hard just knowing that he's out in the hills just trying to stay alive," Jennifer Sain, John's wife, said. "It still doesn't seem real to me."

John says it's hard to explain all that he went through, but he knows where his strength comes from.

"God. I'm a faithful man. I prayed the whole time and it was definitely my fuel," he said.

Despite everything that happened, Sain says he will go out hunting alone again, but next time with a satellite phone or GPS locator.

He says if nothing else, his story should be a reminder to others to be very prepared when heading out into the wilderness. Be sure to tell someone where you're going and when you plan to arrive home. Always carry a survival kit and have a backup plan in case something goes wrong while hiking, hunting or camping in the backcountry.