A seriously injured hiker spent three days without food in the mountains above Malibu before he was located in the wilderness by search-and-rescue teams.
Marcelo Santos spoke Friday about a harrowing ordeal that he said he didn't think he would survive. Santos, confined to a wheelchair due to his leg injuries, is recovering at a hospital.
Santos was reported missing Sunday. About 100 searchers fanned out in the Malibu Creek State Park area. They located his cell phone in a backpack, but Santos was nowhere around.
That's because he had tumbled down a steep rock face, ripping open his knee.
For the next three days, Santos was without food. He found drinking water in a mountain stream and endured cold temperatures at night.
In his words, he was "freaked out."
"I had not energy left," said Santos. "I was dehydrated. I had no nutrients left in my body, and I was hurt. I just knew if I gave up, though, that I would literally be giving up my life because no one was going to find me where I was. I just found the will to keep going."
At one point, Santos could hear search helicopters overhead, but he was hidden from view by a tree canopy. He finally limped to a Salvation Army Camp on the edge of the park, where searchers found him.
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When asked whether he plans to go for a hike after his injuries heal, Santos said, "Yes," without hesitation. He added that his biggest mistake was leaving his backpack behind. In addition to his phone, it contained flashlights and a lighter.
