John Edward Jones, 26, tragically died in 2009 after he became trapped in Nutty Putty Cave in Utah
John Edward Jones suffered a horror death(Image: Jones Family Handout )
A touching tribute has been made at the site where a 26-year -old man suffered an unimaginable death over 15 years ago.
John Edward Jones tragically lost his life in 2009 after becoming trapped in Nutty Putty Cave, located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City in Utah. At the time of his tragic demise, he was a medical student and passionate explorer, eager to discover new caves with his brother Josh and other loved ones.
In fact, it was during a family outing, just days before they were due to celebrate Thanksgiving together, that John found himself stuck in a narrow tunnel. This part of the cave is often referred to as the ‘birth canal’, a chilling name considering what happened to John hours later.
He tried to navigate a tight passageway with a turnaround point at the end but unfortunately took a wrong turn. This section of the cave was unmapped, and for a tall man of six foot, it was not an easy space to manoeuvre out of.
John Edward Jones died in the caving tragedy(Image: Jones Family Handout )
Using all his strength in his hips, stomach and fingers, the 26-year-old soon found himself wedged in there, upside down. The L-shaped passageway that held him captive was a staggering 400 feet from the cave’s entrance and measured a mere 10 inches by 18 inches, reports the Mirror.
With every breath he took, he became increasingly ensnared in this extraordinarily confined space and, despite his brothers’ valiant attempts, they couldn’t extract him. Throughout the following 24 hours, more than 100 emergency responders laboured relentlessly in their bid to liberate John.
Hundreds of rescuers tried to save him
Tragically, John never emerged from the cave to reach safety and heartbreakingly perished after experiencing cardiac arrest at the close of November 25, 2009. He endured 27 hours of being wedged in the cave before losing his life, and since that time, the cave has remained untouched and is now completely sealed to prevent any further fatalities.
Several years back, two YouTubers recognised online as the Legacy Crawlers visited the location, and in their footage disclosed a poignant tribute created by John’s family and friends. There, at what had once been the cave’s entrance, stood a memorial bearing John’s photograph, honouring his life and his devastating death.
A memorial has now been placed at the mouth of the cave, which is closed forever(Image: Jones Family Handout )
Discussing her deceased husband in 2016, John’s wife Emily shared with Deseret News: “I can say that I know for sure, without a doubt, I know there is life after death. I know John is still alive.
“I know because I’ve been able to talk to him since he died, and I’ve had several experiences where the veil has been thin, and I’ve had these sacred moments where I don’t understand everything and my faith is not perfect, but I know he’s out there, and I know there’s life after death.”