US3 min(s) read
The last words of cave explorer John Edward Jones have resurfaced, almost 17 years after his tragic death.
Back on November 24 2009, Jones had taken it upon himself to explore the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah, which was notoriously difficult to navigate.
Despite the tight passages and several unmapped areas within its walls, Jones and his spelunking enthusiast brother wanted to give the cave a go.
Unfortunately, it would ultimately end in tragedy, as Jones would become stuck inside the cave and suffer a long and horrific death, following desperate efforts from rescue teams.
The father-of-one would suffer "one of the worst deaths imaginable" while exploring the former tourist attraction, 89 kilometers from Salt Lake City.
Little did the medical student know when he entered the cave that it'd be the last thing he'd ever do, wedging himself "into his own grave."
Now, the cave enthusiast's final words have resurfaced.
More than 100 rescue personnel came to Jones' aid after the cave explorer became stuck in a narrow, unmapped passage, measuring 10 inches by 18 inches, head first.
He was searching for the formation known as the Birth Canal, which is a tight passage that spelunkers must crawl through carefully, and thought he found it before getting stuck, according to All That’s Interesting.
His heart had to pump blood against the force of gravity for blood to reach his extremities, causing problems for his cardiovascular system.
Attempts with a rope and pulley system to pull Jones loose also ultimately failed, as one of the men present, Shaun Roundy, recalled: “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.”
Jones seemed to admit defeat after the pulley system failed, saying via ABC News: “I’m going to die right here. I’m not going to come out of here, am I?”
His reported final words were not even about himself, but for one of his rescuers, Ryan Shurtz, who was injured when a loose carabiner flew back and hit him in the face.
“Is he okay? I think he’s really hurt bad,” Jones asked.
After a 27-hour rescue operation, Jones became unresponsive and died, suffering from cardiac arrest and suffocation.
Following his death, the cave has been closed to the public, and his body has never been recovered from its trapped position, to avoid more people risking their lives.
The decision was ultimately made to close the cave off and leave him inside.
Jones spoke to his family over a radio, which was lowered down before he died, as his wife recalled a feeling of peace that she gathered from a five to 10-minute conversation that they had.
He has been honored with a plaque and a wreath at the cave's entrance in memory of Jones, with a film eventually being made about the harrowing incident.
The cave's entrance would be filled with concrete to close it off from the public, as Jones, standing at six feet tall, could not be saved.
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us4 min(s) read
The harrowing last words of a man who 'died the worst death imaginable' after getting stuck upside down in a cave in Utah have been revealed.
John Edward Jones, 26, had been exploring Nutty Putty Cave, located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City, in November 2009 when the tragic incident occurred.
The cave was considered suitable for beginner cave explorers due to its winding passages and wide caverns, so John and his brother Josh - who was an experienced cave diver - decided to venture in with their group splitting up so the less experienced members could take on easier sections while the seasoned spelunkers ventured deeper into the cave.
Things began to go wrong when John decided to search for a narrow tunnel known as the 'birth canal', but took a wrong turn which led him to a different area of the cave, where he attempted to navigate a tiny crack in the wall which he believed would open into a larger cavern.
Unfortunately, he had miscalculated and became wedged inside the narrow crevice, only 10 inches across and 18 inches high, meaning the six-foot tall and 200lb man could not get back out the way he came and his only option was to continue forward, being forced to suck in his stomach so tightly that he became wedged in the gap when he released his breath.
Realizing he was trapped, John called his brother Josh to help, who pulled his legs in an attempt to free him - which actually made the situation even worse.
John ended up inverted, with his hands pinned under his chest and his head facing downwards, unable to move.
Josh said a prayer at the time, saying: "Guide us as we work through this," to which John heartbreakingly added: "Save me for my wife and kids."
Josh had to make the 400-foot journey back up through the cave to seek help, with the first rescuer, Susie Motola, finding John hours later with just his shoes visible.
He told her, per the Salt Lake Tribune: "Hi Susie, thanks for coming, but I really, really want to get out."
Susie and a team of around 100 people worked tirelessly to try and rescue John for the next 24 hours, but the task was made worse by the fact he was in "absolutely the worst spot in the cave".
Rescuer Shawn Roundy told press at the time: "It's very narrow, very awkward, and it's difficult to get rescuers down there.
"It's a really tight spot, but we've been able to get around him. We were able to hold his hand at some point."
After many failed attempts and around 19 hours after he first got stuck, the team eventually devised a complex pulley system to try and pull John out of the cave, ABC News reported at the time.
The plan initially seemed to be working as John even managed to partially free himself, however, tragically the pulley system broke at the last minute, sending him plummeting back down.
Harrowingly, he told rescuers: "I'm going to die right here. I'm not going to come out of here, am I?"
Despite his own horrifying predicament, John's reported final words were those of concern regarding one of the rescuers, Ryan Shurtz, who had been badly hurt when a metal carabiner flew back and hit him in the face when the pulley system failed.
"Is he OK? I think he's really hurt bad," John asked.
The effects of the extreme stress and pressure John was under began to set in, and the young father began to panic, so rescuers put his wife Emily on the phone to calm his nerves, and he promised to get out so he could be there for her and their children.
Tragically, around 25 hours after becoming trapped, John became unresponsive after struggling to breathe while stuck upside down, losing consciousness.
A doctor who managed to reach him then pronounced him dead from cardiac arrest and suffocation.
John's wife had vowed to have his body rescued from the cave, however, the dangerous conditions made it impossible for authorities to get him back out and the decision was eventually made to seal the passage entrance with controlled explosives, leaving John's body entombed forever inside.
Nutty Putty Cave now stands as a memorial to John Edward Jones, with his name and face on a plaque as a memory of the tragedy that unfolded over a decade ago.
The 2016 movie The Last Descent tells the story of Jones' heartbreaking final days.
us3 min(s) read
New footage of the incident where a man was trapped in a cave, never to be seen again, has been released to the public.
Back on November 24 2009, cave explorer John Edward Jones took it upon himself to explore the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah, which was notoriously difficult to squeeze through.
Despite the tight passages and several unmapped areas within its walls, Jones and his spelunking enthusiast brother took the challenge on.
Sadly, it would end in tragedy for the family, as Jones would become stuck inside the cave and suffer a horrific death, despite desperate efforts from rescue teams to get him out.
He had suffered "one of the worst deaths imaginable" while in the former tourist attraction, which is located southwest of Utah Lake and 89 kilometers from Salt Lake City.
Once the father-of-one and medical student entered the cave, he was unaware that it'd be the last thing he'd ever do, effectively wedging himself "into his own grave".
While making their way through the cave, Jones took a wrong turn and became stuck head-first in an unmapped passageway known as "the birth canal."
Measuring just 0 inches by 18 inches wide, this passage was located just 122 meters from the cave's entrance.
Jones would be stuck upside down for over 24 hours in the cave, and once rescue teams were called, they tried for hours to set the dad free, but to no avail.
Eventually, the decision was made to close the cave off and leave him inside.
Jones spoke to his family over a radio, which was lowered down before he died, as his wife recalled a feeling of peace that she gathered from a five to 10-minute conversation that they had.
He has been honored with a plaque and a wreath at the cave's entrance in memory of Jones, with a film eventually being made about the harrowing incident.
The cave's entrance would be filled with concrete to close it off from the public, as Jones, standing at six feet tall, could not be saved.
Uploaded to EWU Unsolved, the short documentary delved into the details behind Jones' death, revealing never-before-seen footage for the first time.
It's the first time that footage from the cave itself has been released, with rescuers trying everything they can to save Jones.
Several ropes and equipment can be seen in the footage, as rescuers discuss different methods which could be used to save Jones, though they eventually conclude that it would be too difficult and risky.
They had even tried to chip away at the cave to widen the passage for the cave explorer to come through, but progress was slow-going.
Jones tried to make small kicks with his feet near the end of these rescue efforts, though these would stop.
The video also featured diagrams of Jones in the birth canal, and how with every breath, the father's chest would expand and wedge him further into the tight space.
The last attempt to pull Jones out, in fact, left John dropping deeper into the cave than before, after the rope and pulley system used to pull him up had broken.
He would eventually suffer cardiac arrest after being stuck in the cave for so long, which put a significant strain on his body.
weird3 min(s) read
A YouTuber has explored the cave entrance where a man died what many believe was the "worst death imaginable".
Back in 2009, John Edward Jones, 26, ventured into Utah’s Nutty Putty Cave with his brother.
The cave, known for its narrow and treacherous passages, became the site of a fatal accident.
John became trapped in a section of the cave ominously nicknamed the “Birth Canal,” a tight passage only 10 inches wide and 18 inches high.
Despite his efforts to free himself, he was trapped. For 25 harrowing hours, rescue teams worked tirelessly to save him.
Tragically, their attempts were unsuccessful, and John died in the cave, unable to escape its claustrophobic confines.
Each breath he took expanded his chest, further immobilizing him.
Tragically, he stopped breathing and became unresponsive, leaving his body entombed within the cave to this day.
Following the tragedy, Nutty Putty Cave was sealed and permanently closed, later serving as a memorial to honor John’s life and the heartbreak of his untimely death.
More than a decade after the tragedy, YouTuber Brandon Kowallis traveled to the site, which has since been permanently sealed and transformed into a memorial.
Standing at what he described as the "cement-plugged entrance," Kowallis documented the somber tribute to Jones.
A plaque near the entrance honors Jones, acting as a symbolic tombstone.
A wreath lies nearby, and an additional plaque features a heartfelt message from his family, urging visitors to “enjoy and respect this sacred space.”
“There’s not much to it,” Kowallis shared in the video description. “It’s a cement-plugged entrance and that’s about it. It was nice to read through the memorial plaques though and remember John and his family. This was the first time I’d been up there since the rescue.”
Emily Jones Sanchez, John’s widow, was pregnant at the time of his death.
Though she has since rebuilt her life - remarrying and welcoming a child with her second husband, Donovan Sanchez - Emily continues to endure criticism and harassment from online trolls.
The vitriol stems largely from the timeline of Emily’s remarriage, with critics accusing her of moving on too quickly after John’s death.
Some have framed their criticism within the context of Emily’s faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, suggesting she should have waited to reunite with John in the afterlife.
After Emily shared a photo of herself and Donovan on Facebook, her post was bombarded with disparaging comments.
One user wrote sarcastically: “I’m sure John wanted her to move 3 YEARS AFTER HIS TRAGIC DEATH.” Another remarked: “She moved on pretty quick I’d say, married again after just 3 years?”
A particularly harsh comment read: “Clearly she has moved on, no mention of John anywhere or any f**s given. And she married some guy 3 years after her husband died the worst death imaginable.”
In an interview with Deseret News, Emily addressed the criticism and spoke about the balance she has found in cherishing John’s memory while embracing her new life.
"It's never been hard to talk about John," Emily shared. She also emphasized the importance of honoring her late husband’s legacy for the sake of their children, even as she builds a future with Donovan.
Donovan, her second husband, has been supportive throughout, recognizing John’s ongoing role in their family’s life.
"Ever since I first met Donovan, he's been really comfortable with John continuing to be a part of our family and our lives, especially because of our kids," Emily said.
She also noted Donovan’s efforts to maintain a relationship with John’s family, fostering a sense of unity.
health4 min(s) read
In 2009, a cave expedition took a horrifying turn, leaving medical student and father John Edward Jones trapped in the depths of Nutty Putty Cave in Utah.
This harrowing incident - which has been described by media as "the worst death imaginable" - has left John's body entombed in the cave for over a decade.
Located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City, Nutty Putty Cave was considered a suitable cave for beginner cave explorers due to its winding passages and large caverns.
John Jones, along with his brother Josh, was an experienced cave diver. On that fateful day in November, the group split into two, with less-experienced members exploring easier sections while the seasoned spelunkers ventured deeper into the cave.
John's misfortune began when he decided to search for a narrow tunnel known as the 'birth canal.' However, he took a wrong turn, leading him to a different area of the cave. As he attempted to navigate a tiny crack in the cave wall, he believed it would open into a larger cavern. Unfortunately, he miscalculated, and he soon found himself wedged inside the narrow crevice.
Stuck in a passage only 10 inches across and 18 inches high, John's predicament grew dire. He couldn't reverse his movement, and his only option was to continue forward. As he advanced, he was forced to suck in his stomach so tightly that he became lodged in the gap when he released his breath.
Realizing he was stuck, John called for help from his brother Josh. In an attempt to free him, Josh pulled John's legs, but this only worsened the situation. John ended up inverted, with his hands pinned under his chest, unable to move.
Josh had to make a perilous journey back through the cave, ascending 400 feet to seek help. The first rescuer, Susie Motola, arrived hours later and found John trapped with only his shoes visible. Despite the challenging conditions, a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save him.
"Hi Susie, thanks for coming," John said, per the Salt Lake Tribute, "but I really, really want to get out."
Over the next 24 hours, Susie and a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save John, a task made worse by the fact that John was in "absolutely the worst spot in the cave".
"It's very narrow, very awkward, and it's difficult to get rescuers down there," rescuer Shawn Roundy told the media at the time.
"It's a really tight spot, but we've been able to get around him. We were able to hold his hand at some point."
After several failed attempts and around 19 hours after he first got stuck, the team eventually devised a complex pulley system that would pull John out of the cave, ABC News reported at the time.
The plan seemed promising, and John even managed to free himself partially. However, tragedy struck when the pulley system broke at the last moment, sending him plummeting back into the depths.
John's panic set in, and his body began to deteriorate from the extreme stress and pressure. Rescuers put his wife Emily back on the phone to calm his nerves and he promised his wife he would get out to be there for her and their children.
Stuck upside down and struggling to breathe - after being trapped for over 25 hours - John started to become unresponsive.
Over 25 hours into his ordeal, he started to lose consciousness. A doctor finally reached him but pronounced him dead of cardiac arrest and suffocation on November 25.
Devastated but determined, John's wife, Emily, refused to leave her husband's body trapped inside the cave. Authorities assured her they would recover it, but the dangerous conditions made retrieval impossible. The passage entrance was eventually sealed with controlled explosives, leaving John's body inside.
Today, Nutty Putty Cave stands as a memorial to John Edward Jones, a somber reminder of a tragic incident that unfolded over a decade ago. Despite the heartbreak, Emily has found love again and remarried. However, she continues to face cruel taunts from trolls on social media, a reminder of the enduring pain caused by this unimaginable tragedy.
The 2016 movie The Last Descent tells the story of Jones' heartbreaking final days.
lifestyle4 min(s) read
The body of a cave diver who suffered what was described as "the worst death imaginable" is still entombed over a decade later.
On November 24, 2009, medical student and dad-of-one John Edward Jones went on a spelunking trip with friends and family in the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah and never came out.
Located around 55 miles away from Salt Lake City, Nutty Putty Cave is known for its tight, winding passages which open up into large caverns, and was generally thought of as a good cave for beginner cave explorers.
Jones and his brother were both experienced cave divers, and shortly after arriving, the group split off into two - with the children and less-experienced adults exploring easier sections of the cave while the seasoned spelunkers went deeper.
While exploring the cavern’s depths with his brother Josh, John decided to look for a narrow tunnel which spelunkers had dubbed the 'birth canal', but ended up taking a wrong turn and ending up in a different area of the cave.
Wriggling through a tiny crack in the cave wall, John kept squeezing himself deeper into the crevice in the belief it would soon open up into a large cavern.
But as he was in the wrong part of the cave, his calculations were incorrect and he soon found himself stuck.
Unable to reverse, his only option was to keep moving forward, and John was forced to suck in his stomach so much to crawl through a particularly narrow passage that he became lodged inside the gap when he released his breath.
The gap he was trying to squeeze through was just 10 inches across and 18 inches high - around the size of a front-loading dryer.
John called out to his brother for help upon realizing he was stuck, but as his brother tried to pull him out by the legs he ended up slipped further into the cave and became stuck upside down, with his hands pinned under his chest and unable to move.
Unable to free his brother alone, Josh instead had to travel back up through 400ft of cave to call for help, with the first rescuer arriving at around 12:30AM on November 25, over three hours after John had first gotten stuck in the cave.
The first rescuer to arrive was Susie Motola, and when she reached the part of the cave where John had become trapped all she could see of him was his shoes.
"Hi Susie, thanks for coming," John said, per the Salt Lake Tribute, "but I really, really want to get out."
Over the next 24 hours, Susie and a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save John, a task made worse by the fact that John was in "absolutely the worst spot in the cave".
"It's very narrow, very awkward, and it's difficult to get rescuers down there," rescuer Shawn Roundy told the media at the time.
"It's a really tight spot, but we've been able to get around him. We were able to hold his hand at some point."
After several failed attempts and around 19 hours after he first got stuck, the team eventually devised a complex pulley system which would pull John out of the cave, ABC News reported at the time.
The plan almost worked, and John was even able to get himself partially free- but tragedy struck when the pulley system broke at the last minute and sent John plunging right back to square one.
At this point, John started panicking and his body was starting to break down from the extreme stress and pressure it was being put under.
Rescuers put his wife Emily back on the phone to calm his nerves and he promised his wife he would get out to be there for her and their children.
Stuck upside down and struggling to breathe - after being trapped for over 25 hours - John started to become unresponsive.
A doctor was eventually able to reach him and pronounced the cave diver dead of cardiac arrest and suffocation on November 25.
Emily, still outside, refused to leave her husband's body trapped inside the cave, and the local Sheriff assured her they would recover it.
But even following his death it was deemed too dangerous to attempt to recover his body, and the entrance to the passage he was trapped in was collapsed with controlled explosives.
Eventually, the entire cave was sealed off with concrete with his body still inside, and the entire place now exists as a memorial to John Edward Jones.
John's death was been described in the press as "the worst death imaginable".
In a ray of good news, Emily has since gone on to find love and remarry. However, she's recently opened up about how trolls still cruelly taunt her on social media.
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