A simulation detailing the terrifying mistake and tragic death of a man who died “the worst death imaginable” has left social media users terrified.
Credit: Google
In 2009, a cave expedition took a horrifying turn after medical student and father John Edward Jones suddenly became trapped in the depths of Nutty Putty Cave in Utah.
Located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City, Nutty Putty Cave was considered a suitable cave for beginner cave explorers due to its winding passages and large caverns.
On that fateful day in November, John Edward Jones and his brother Josh – two experienced cave explorers – split from the more less experienced members of their group to exploring deeper into the cave.
After researching a winding area of the cave known as the “Birth Canal”, John began to feel the cave becoming narrower and narrow. However, he pushed through, believing that the it would eventually open up into a larger cavern.
Unfortunately, John had unknowingly taken a wrong turn, and he soon found himself wedged inside the narrow crevice just 10 inches across and 18 inches high.
John’s predicament quickly grew dire. He move backwards — his only option was to continue forward. As he slowly advanced, he was forced to suck in his stomach so tightly that he became lodged in the gap when he released his breath.
Realizing he was stuck, John called for help from his brother Josh. In an attempt to free him, Josh pulled John’s legs, but this only worsened the situation. John ended up inverted, with his hands pinned under his chest, unable to move.
Josh had to make a perilous journey back through the cave, ascending 400 feet to seek help.
YouTube channel JackDFilms has since created a simulation to demonstrate the harrowing predicament John found himself in. You can see it below:
The simulation has helped social media users visualize the true terror of John’s predicament, with one person writing: “Being stuck upside down in a cold dark cave sounds terrifying.”
A second commented: “This is one of my biggest fears, could never imagine going down such a tight space”
Following desperate calls for help, arriving at the scene was first responder Susie Motola, who found John trapped with only his shoes visible.
“Hi Susie, thanks for coming,” John said, per the Salt Lake Tribute, “but I really, really want to get out.”
Despite the challenging conditions, a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save him – a task made worse by the fact that John was in “absolutely the worst spot in the cave”.
“It’s very narrow, very awkward, and it’s difficult to get rescuers down there,” rescuer Shawn Roundy told the media at the time.
“It’s a really tight spot, but we’ve been able to get around him. We were able to hold his hand at some point.”
After several failed attempts and around 19 hours after he first got stuck, the team eventually devised a complex pulley system that would pull John out of the cave, ABC News reported at the time.
Credit: GoogleMaps
The plan seemed promising, and John even managed to free himself partially. However, tragedy struck when the pulley system broke at the last moment, sending him plummeting back into the depths.
John’s panic set in, and his body began to deteriorate from the extreme stress and pressure. Rescuers put his wife Emily back on the phone to calm his nerves and he promised his wife he would get out to be there for her and their children.
Stuck upside down and struggling to breathe – after being trapped for over 25 hours – John started to become unresponsive.
After 27 hours into his ordeal, a doctor finally reached John, but pronounced him dead of cardiac arrest and suffocation on November 25.
Devastated but determined, Emily refused to leave her husband’s body trapped inside the cave.
Authorities assured her they would recover John’s body, but the dangerous conditions made retrieval impossible, and his remains are entombed in the cave to this day.
This harrowing incident has since been described by media as “the worst death imaginable”, with the story continuing to serve as a warning to cave divers and spelunkers about the risks of this sport.
The passage entrance to Nutty Putty Cave was eventually sealed with controlled explosives, leaving John’s body inside, with a memorial plaque placed outside to honor the “loving father and kind husband”.
