An unfortunate man endured an unimaginable death, leaving behind his wife and their two kids. However, his final words weren’t about himself or his family.
Nutty Putty Cave, which is located approximately 55 miles away from Salt Lake City, was the location where John Edward Jones met his untimely demise, leaving behind his wife, Emily Jones Sanchez, and their two children. He was only 26 years old at the time. As a result of the tragic and excruciatingly slow manner in which he passed away, his final words have been preserved for future generations.
On the evening of November 24, 2009, at around 8 p.m. local time, John and his brother Josh set out to explore the hydrothermal cave system. John came across a particularly narrow passage in the cave that explorers frequently referred to as the “birth canal” during their exploration. John, six feet tall and 200 pounds, found himself trapped upside down inside a tight tunnel system after making a wrong turn.
Josh was the first person to discover John, who was stuck in the narrow passage. Josh attempted to release his brother by pulling his feet, but John fell even further into the enclosed hole, his arms now by his side. Josh’s attempt to free his brother was unsuccessful, so the brothers asked God for help. “Guide us as we work through this,” Josh prayed at the time. John added, “Save me for my wife and kids.”
Josh was subsequently forced to leave to seek additional help, leaving his brother all alone. The next person to come to John’s location and offer help was a woman named Susie Motola, who arrived at approximately 12:30 am on November 25. “Hi Susie, thanks for coming,” John heartbreakingly said, “but I really, really want to get out.”
During the rescue attempt, John received assistance from an additional one hundred or more people, working tirelessly to save him. A tremendous amount of strain was placed on John’s body as a result of his suspension at a downward angle. While he was in this position, his heart was forced to work against the force of gravity, which made it more difficult for his heart to pump blood to his limbs and presented significant hurdles to his cardiovascular system.
Rescue workers attempted to liberate John by using a rope and pulley system, but their efforts were unsuccessful. One of the people present at the scene, Shaun Roundy, provided the following statement: “I reviewed the whole mission, wishing we’d have done this tiny detail differently or done that a little sooner. But it’s no use second-guessing things. We did our best.”
After the disappointing failure of the pulley system, John appeared to give up hope and said, “I’m going to die right here. I’m not going to come out of here, am I?” In a tragic turn of events, John’s heart eventually gave out after he was trapped upside down for a considerable amount of time, which ultimately led to his death from cardiac arrest.
There’s an undeniable allure to final words that consistently capture everyone’s attention. The last words that John spoke were not directed at his personal well-being but rather toward one of the people who had tried to rescue him. Ryan Shurtz sustained injuries as a result of a carabiner that had become loose and had recoiled back, striking him in the face. “Is he OK? I think he’s really hurt bad,” John inquired.
After John Edward Jones passed away, public access to the cave was restricted. Due to the potential risks and dangers, it is not possible to retrieve his body, which remains unrecovered in its entangled position. Within a week of John’s passing, the authorities decided to permanently seal off Nutty Putty Cave.
“We feel like it would be John’s will to protect the safety of future cavers,” Josh, John’s younger brother, revealed during a press conference. Family members stated that they were aware that John fought to survive. Rescue teams praised him for “his remarkable good spirits and resilience to the end.” Permission was granted to the family to place a memorial marker at the cave entrance.
