Photo By Amy Stork | Capt. Jack Daily, a Military Intelligence Captains Career Course student assigned to...... read more read more
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FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — Two Army Reserve officers and a civilian rescued a dehydrated hiker along a trail near Mount Lemmon in Coronado National Forest July 26.
Capt. Eric Adams and Capt. Jack Daily, Military Intelligence Captains Career Course students assigned to the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, 111th Military Intelligence Brigade, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, headed out on a hike with Adams’ college friend, Richie Ingle, when they encountered U.S. Forest Service personnel, paramedics, and fire crews preparing to launch a search-and-rescue operation.
“We asked what was going on, and they said 'We are looking for a guy, a guy is out there somewhere dehydrated and missing. We are about to start a search and rescue,'” Daily said.
The search and rescue team told the group to call 911 if they found the missing hiker.
Roughly one mile into the hike, the group located a woman and man along the trail. The man was leaning against a tree, visibly disoriented and unable to walk or sit without assistance.
“He said, ‘I need water,’ and we immediately knew he was the person they were looking for,” Adams said. “He couldn’t walk or sit properly. His legs were shaking, and he couldn’t support himself.”
The three friends provided water, stabilized the hiker, and Daily used the what3words location app to transmit exact coordinates to 911 dispatchers. They then escorted the man down the trail, coordinating with emergency responders to complete the rescue.
According to Adams, the hiker expressed deep gratitude. “He kept telling us how grateful he was that we got there."
"At one point when we were walking, he said, ‘You guys saved me,’” Daily said. “It was a 100-degree day, and his watch said that he had walked 15 miles ... with no water source."
According to Sean Mattias, a paramedic firefighter with the Mount Lemmon Fire Department, the actions of Adams, Daily and Ingle made a significant difference in the outcome.
The search and rescue team had been on scene maybe 30 or 45 minutes before the trio made it to the trailhead with the dehydrated hiker, Mattias said. “He was in pretty rough shape—I think without their assistance he might have been out there longer and probably more miserable."
Mattias noted that the support went beyond physical aid. “His wife kept telling him they were only 5 minutes away to keep him going and then he saw them, and they told him he was almost done so they also gave him some encouragement which helped him out."
Adams and Daily, who both serve with an Army Reserve unit out of Fort Sheridan, Illinois, have worked together for several years. They said their military readiness and professional training helped with how they responded once the hiker was located.
“I think what we learned early on is to be prepared for any situation and if you know an operation you are about to perform, be prepared for it. We all had water, we had the right gear, we knew what we were getting ourselves into," Adams said. "We were over prepared, so when we found him, we could share water with him."
Daily, a full-time police officer in Waukesha, Wisconsin, emphasized the instinct to act. “It wasn't a decision that was hard to make. Anyone in our position would have done exactly that, which is to help someone in need."
Adams, a nuclear analyst for the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, said their preparation and coordination reflected Army values. “We were at the right place at the right time and happy to be so, so that we could help this person."
After transferring the hiker to emergency personnel, the group completed their hike and returned to the Mount Lemmon Fire Department.
"We had some girl scout cookies at the station, so we told them if they found him to come on over and get some cookies,” Mattias said. “Just as a thank you. They definitely helped out."
Mattias reminded the public that anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Arizona’s summer heat should carry plenty of water, pack electrolytes, and have the proper equipment to prevent heat-related illness or the need for rescue.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2025 11:16 |
| Story ID: | 544377 |
| Location: | FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 424 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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