When Donn Fendler speaks, people come to listen. As was the case Tuesday night at the Gray Public Library, when author and adventurer Donn Fendler of “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” fame, spoke to multiple generations of fans about his story. When Donn was 12 he got separated from his family while hiking on Katahdin and spent nine days in the wild on his own.
“It’s
affected so many people in the State of Maine,” Donn told the crowd of 75 on
Tuesday. “I was just a dumb kid who got lost and got lucky and came out alive.”
Now
at the age of 89, next month, Donn travels to schools, libraries and other
venues to talk about his experience, hoping to help hikers of today not make
the same mistakes he made.
The
book “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” became a book read in most fourth grade
classes throughout Maine. Recently Donn with Lynn Plourde released “Lost Trail:
Nine Days Alone in the Wilderness” a graphic novel about the events and what
happened before and after he was lost.
“I’ve
never seen so many multi-generational people at a library event,” said Gray
Public Library director Josh Tiffany, MLIS said. Both books were sold at the
event by Letterpress Books.
He
doesn’t get tired of his fame “not for one single second,” he said. In the
winter, he answers letters with handwritten letter to anyone who writes to him.
When people ask him how he survived he tells them three things. 1. “I’m not
overly religious, but faith and God and prayers worked because I’m standing
here.” 2. Boy Scout training. “It taught me to calm down as best you could and
try to find your way out of the mess you got yourself in.” 3. “How tough you
ladies and guys are. I had the will to live. I never thought about dying.”
“You’ve
got to know Maine people. Stubborn, self-reliant and outdoor lovers,” he said.
During
the presentation he spoke about the clothing he wore to climb the mountain.
Sneakers, no socks, jeans, underwear, sweatshirt and jackets, his sneakers were
the first to go and he spent eight days barefoot on an old tote road. When he
was found, his feet were cut to the bone in places and he only had his jacket,
a shirt and a gunny sack he had found in the woods, which he used to sleep in
to keep the mosquitoes from biting him.
He
described himself as “never much of an eater of food.” He ate one cup of
strawberries while out there and lost 16 to 18 pounds over the nine days.
He
had some injuries after the journey, but nothing life threatening and he
figured that that was because he was in the water so much.
Donn
chose to follow the river to civilization, a tip he learned in the Boy Scouts.
The only wildlife he encountered was deer and two black bears. “That was the
scariest part of my life,” said the military veteran. “I said a few prayers of
thanks there.”
He
doesn’t remember the exact route he took or the days when things happened
because he was passing out quite frequently.
On
the last day, he was following what he found out after was the East Branch of
the Penobscot River, he saw two cabins and was rescued.
“I’m
crying because I’m so darn happy,” said Donn during a 1939 video that was taken
of his rescue and of when he was reunited with his mother. He estimated that he
covered between 40 and 50 miles over the nine days.
He
said he has never had flashbacks or dreams about that time.
He
has been back to Katahdin and back to the cabin he was taken to once he was
found, however he got a bit lost getting there. When he stopped for directions
the man asked, “Are you the little boy who got lost on the mountain?”
When
Donn answered “yes”, the man said, “You’re still lost.”
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