Legislator Wieder Recognizes Local Volunteers Who Found Boy Lost In Arizona National Forest: ‘They Found A Boy And Reunited A Family’

Three hours had already gone by when the mother of a missing 8-year-old boy decided to reach out to Chaverim of Rockland and ask for help in finding her son.

Her family, from Baltimore, had hiked an underground trail at Lava River Cave in the Coconino National Forest in Arizona – a beautiful, but massive and wild park near Flagstaff. On their way out of the cave and back to the parking area, the boy had essentially disappeared.

Crying and desperately pleading for help over the phone, the boy’s mother reached Yossi Margaretten, Chaverim’s coordinator, who told her they would assist the search and rescue efforts.

“How does a family from Baltimore end up calling Chaverim of Rockland County, New York, while vacationing in Arizona,” Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder asked. “They knew, like so many have come to know over the years, of the outstanding reputation earned by Chaverim’s volunteers. They knew of the volunteers’ willingness and successes when it came to locating missing persons. They knew because the family had previously lived in Monsey and so were aware of the incredible efforts of Chaverim of Rockland volunteers.”

Legislator Wieder said that throughout the search efforts, many, prayers were said – at the search site in Arizona, on the plane, in Monsey, and elsewhere because many people were following the search as it unfolded.

The boy went missing at about 6 p.m. Flagstaff time on Aug. 21.

Chaverim volunteers, who left Rockland in the middle of the night, were in Arizona and searching by 9 a.m. the next morning. In under two hours, as they screamed his name while searching the woods, the boy responded.

“It was unbelievable the feeling that we had when we found him,” Coordinator Margaretten said. “I can’t really fully describe it.”

He has volunteered with Chaverim for 15 years and said he, like a lot of the volunteers, engage in their efforts simply because someone else needs help. “I put myself in their position,” Coordinator Margaretten said. “I would just do everything I can to bring back that kid so that’s what I tried to do.”

The child was lying on the ground and weak after a night in the rain and chilly temperatures but overall, he was in good health and was checked out by paramedics.

“Everyone’s prayers had been answered,” Legislator Wieder said.

The 14 local Chaverim volunteers who travelled to Arizona are experts in search and rescue, regularly drilling and honing their skills in Harriman State Park, as well as real-life search and rescue efforts.

The volunteers were able to engage in the search in Arizona thanks to Hatzolah Air, which provided the plane that took the volunteers from the Sullivan County Airport out to Flagstaff.

Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco, who is very familiar with the skill sets of the Chaverim volunteers, was in touch with Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll in Arizona, where locals had been searching through the night and in the rain for the boy.

Sheriff Driscoll said it was cold and while he wasn’t sure whether the boy had survived the night due to hypothermia, he was sure he would not survive a second night in the mountains. Sheriff Falco asked that the volunteers be allowed to do their job and Sheriff Driscoll said he would do so.

“I got the call about an hour later that Chaverim of Rockland County themselves found this young boy,” Sheriff Falco said. He thanked the volunteers on behalf of Sheriff Driscoll, the people of Rockland, and the boy’s family. This is National First Responders’ Week, and he also thanked them for being part of the First Responders’ community, which includes the fire, police and EMS services, he said.

Also attending the recognition ceremony was Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II, who quoted Justice Brandeis regarding Chaverim and all of the volunteers who aided the search. “‘The cry of distress is the summons to aid.’ Chaverim heard that cry of distress from parents over the loss of their child – and was that cry of distress answered? It was answered by your efforts…You deserve our deep heartfelt thanks for your efforts.”

In addition to Chaverim of Rockland, Hatzolah Air, the Sheriffs’ Departments and local rescuers, the effort was also aided by Chaverim of Los Angeles, Chaverim Arizona, and Hatzolah of Los Angeles.

“These volunteers care enough about others to spend hours upon hours training and responding to emergencies – and they routinely make a difference in the lives of so many,” Legislator Wieder said. “They spend time away from their own families to make sure other families are spared grief and hardship.”

In this case, the outcome was positive. But Legislator Wieder noted that not every effort has a similar outcome, which can be hard on the volunteers.

“Tonight, we also acknowledge the struggles these fine volunteers endure as part of their dedication to helping others,” Legislator Wieder said. “This evening, we recognize the enormous efforts by all involved in this success story – all of those who went to Arizona, all of those who helped coordinate from Rockland – efforts that allowed a young boy to be found in the woods and a family to be reunited.”

The honorees: Hatzolah Air; and Chaverim of Rockland and its volunteers: Yossi Margaretten, Shlome Spira, Hershy Bineth, Shmiel Reich, Yakov Yosef Kaufman, Moshe Stern, Shlome Morris, Yitzchok Klitnick, Yoseph Levin, Ari Friedman, Yoel Heimann, Mark Kahn, Shlomo Frank, Tuli Adler, Moshe Jacobowitz, Sruly Rosenberg.