Rescue on St Lucia Day, (December 13th in Sweden)

Man Hunt
Tuesday, Happy Camp had a man hunt out! Word got out, mostly by social media that Jesse J. Flagg, our local FedEx delivery person, was missing. After making deliveries to Happy Camp and Clear Creek last Monday, he hadn’t returned that evening. Our Sheriff, Jon Lopey, said, “We were very concerned about Mr. Flagg’s welfare and we are relieved he was found alive and he is now receiving the care he needs. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the involved SCSO, USFS, CHP ground and air units, and fire rescue personnel that played pivotal roles in the search and rescue of Mr. Flagg.

Christmas Miracle
His Grandma said she has her Christmas Miracle! ”Miraculously, Jesse survived 22 degrees last night with a thin shirt and shorts and was found about 10am this morning. He tried to make a torch with his undershirt, as he left his coat and cell phone in the van. He kicked the window out after smelling gas. Then he dropped ten feet to the ground, (first of many drops).

“He has gone thru a warming process and is in a lot of pain from it, but no frostbite, no broken bones, no spinal injury except a slightly compressed disk in his tail bone, no head trauma, lots of bruises and scrapes and scratches and berry thorns. – He swerved to miss a deer. Had he gone off at a straight angle, he would have went way down and into the river (in the deep part) or just a few feet more and the van would have been nose first, about 80 feet down and probably in pieces. Instead the van landed in two trees just like a couple of angels carried it there (really). It’s unbelievable, especially when you see highway 96 and all the possible awful places it could have happen – almost all would be landing in the cold Klamath River, They brought him up 120 feet from the embankment as we watched. He survived digging himself a hole of clay to insulate himself – still ALMOST frozen! – To God be the Glory. Thanks to all who prayed so much! We are ecstatic and full of joy!

Working together for Happy Outcome!
Lisa Bousfield posted on Facebook, ”Thankful for this community. Thankful I work for an agency that doesn’t wait. When I got to work today I emailed our district about the FedEx guy missing. Our Acting Deputy Ranger (Johnny Clem) sent people out in all different directions. Within 30 minutes he was found, down the embankment, alive, no injuries. Glad we have willing capable people here that just do.
Thank you Lisa and the Happy Camp Ranger District and all the agencies and volunteers who were looking or praying for his safe rescue! It is happy when we all work together and have a happy outcome!!

God Jul for Christmas!

In Sweden and Denmark, St Lucia is represented as a young lady in a white dress (a symbol of a Christian’s white Baptism robe) and red sash (symbolizing the blood of her martyrdom) with a crown or wreath of candles on her head celebrated on 13 December in Advent. They remember Lucia, a 3rd-century martyr under the Diocletianic persecution, who according to legend brought “food and aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs” using a candle-lit wreath to “light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as possible”. Her feast once coincided with the Winter solice, the shortest day of the year before calendar reforms, so her feast day has become a Christian festival of light Falling within the Advent season, Saint Lucia’s Day is viewed as an event signaling the arrival of Christmas, pointing to the arrival of the Light of Christ in the calendar on Christmas celebrations.

Lucia or Lucy Day in Sweden on December 13th