Kentucky

Search for missing man in Kentucky ends in ‘miracle’

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2024

Search for missing man in Kentucky ends in ‘miracle’

WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – An effort to find a missing man ended in what rescuers are describing as a miracle over the weekend.

“I am personally not that religious, but ‘miracle’ is the word that comes to mind,” said David Fifer, an advanced practice paramedic with RedSTAR Wilderness.

On July 6, Scott Allen Hern from Ironton, Ohio, was seen in the Red River Gorge area on his way to see Bell Falls. He wasn’t seen again for 14 days.

“Apparently, he got a little disoriented; he got tired. He tried to take a nap or a sleep under this rock shelter and took a tumble while sleeping and injured himself,” said John May, chief of Wolfe County Search and Rescue.

Hern’s car was ticketed the next day in the park since it didn’t have an overnight parking pass. However, it wasn’t until July 13 when a missing person’s report filed triggered an alert to Wolfe County Search and Rescue.

“That evening, I received a call about 8 o’clock, and once we realized he hadn’t been seen since the 6th and this was now the 13th, we dispatched team members that evening,” May said.

Using things like Hern’s diary, search and rescue teams began the daunting process of searching the rugged terrain, with teams from across the state assisting.

Fifer with RedSTAR Wilderness explained rescuers’ concerns, saying, “When somebody is not found for a couple of days, you do tend to think you are looking for maybe a deceased individual.”

John May even went as far as clarifying that “Finding him alive was a very remote possibility. I had even started to prep the family, saying, ‘I didn’t think this was going to turn out well.’”

However, this weekend, on the final push of the search, their miracle happened.

“It actually began with a report that they were hearing cries for help – that was the first report that came across the radio,” Fifer recalled. “And then when they confirmed it was actually Mr. Hern who they had found. It’s just an amazing feeling”

“Fortunately, he was alert enough to yell out for help,” said May. “They would have not found him most likely where he was at. It was just too thick underneath the cliff line.”

After 14 days in the wilderness, Scott Hern was severely dehydrated but safe. He was immediately taken to a hospital for further care but not before making a request to rescuers.

“One of our team members that got to him first, the first thing Scott said to him is ‘Would you give me a hug?’ Kind of gets you choked up when you hear it cause he had been out there for so long and didn’t think he was going to live, and he just wanted a hug,” said May.

Hern was reported to have only six bottles of water with him and a bag of trail mix, which he finished on July 8, meaning he went 12 days without food and water. As of this report, he is doing well and on his way to recovery.

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Kentucky

Kentucky State Police looking for missing teen in Clay County

Published

7 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky State Police looking for missing teen in Clay County

CLAY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky State Police is asking for help to find a missing teenage girl.

16-year-old Gracie Smith was last seen Tuesday night at Jacks Branch Bible Church in Manchester. Troopers believe she was picked up by an unknown person in a blue passenger car near the church.

Gracie was last seen wearing a white shirt, light pink jacket and pink pajama pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call Kentucky State Police Post 11.

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Kentucky

Former Kentucky Transfer Portal Target Magoon Gwath Re-Enters Free Agency

Published

1 day ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Former Kentucky Transfer Portal Target Magoon Gwath Re-Enters Free Agency

A familiar name will be back in the transfer portal when the official window opens at midnight. Magoon Gwath is once again testing the free agency market.

Gwath was a player BBN kept a close eye on early in the 2025 transfer portal cycle. Kentucky and Michigan were considered the top potential destinations for the 7-footer when he surprisingly announced a return to San Diego State. When the San Diego Union-Tribune reported his return to the Aztecs on April 1, the lede was “This is not an April Fool’s joke.”

The decision was so surprising because of Gwath’s resume. He arrived in San Diego as an unranked recruit. During his first season with the Aztecs, the 7-footer averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.6 blocks per game, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Ahead of his return, head coach Brian Dutcher noted that Gwath was taking a pay cut to show his loyalty to the program that gave him a shot. That gamble did not pay off for either side. San Diego State missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons, as Gwath’s minutes per game slightly dipped to 19, tallying 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest in 2025-26.

It’s unclear if Kentucky will take another swing at the lengthy 7-footer during this transfer portal cycle. What is clear is that there will be no shortage of chaos when the free agency period officially tips off at midnight. We’ll be locked in every step of the way.

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KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. In the middle of a busy transfer portal season for the Kentucky basketball program, now is the perfect time to join our online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard, our message board featuring thousands of Kentucky fans around the globe. Come join the club right now for 50% off an annual subscription.

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Kentucky

Our top 5 Kentucky Derby contenders as Run for the Roses 2026 nears

Published

2 days ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Our top 5 Kentucky Derby contenders as Run for the Roses 2026 nears

Arkansas Derby winner Renegade tops our list of the leading contenders for the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby.
Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox, joins the top five after a commanding victory in Saturday’s Blue Grass at Keeneland.

After the final weekend of major prep races, we have a projected field for the 152^nd running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Further Ado (Blue Grass), So Happy (Santa Anita Derby) and Albus (Wood Memorial) clinched their spots in the Kentucky Derby with victories on Saturday.

The top 20 horses on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard are eligible to run, though there usually are injuries and defections in the weeks leading up to the race.

Buy tickets for Kentucky Derby 152 here

Saturday’s Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland will offer 20 qualifying points to the winner, though that’s not expected to be enough for any of the competitors to jump into the Kentucky Derby field.

With four weeks to go until the Kentucky Derby, here’s our ranking of the top five contenders:

Owners: Robert and Lawana Low; Repole Stable (Mike Repole).

Trainer: Todd Pletcher.

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Sire: Into Mischief.

Road to Kentucky Derby points: 125 (No. 3)

Career earnings: $1,031,500.

Last race: Won Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn Park.

Likely next race: Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Owner: Wathnan Racing (Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani).

Trainer: Brad Cox.

Jockey: Flavien Prat.

Sire: Into Mischief.

Road to Kentucky Derby points: 150 (No. 1).

Career earnings: $1,017,339.

Last race: Won Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Likely next race: Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Owners: OGMA Investments LLC (Gustavo Delgado); JR Ranch (Ramiro Restrepo); High Step Racing LLC (Randy Guy, Joe Noble, Kevin Avera, Jim Ferreira, Todd Perry).

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado.

Jockey: Javier Castellano.

Sire: Essential Quality.

Road to Kentucky Derby points: 106 (No. 6).

Career earnings: $442,280.

Last race: Second in Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Likely next race: Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Owner: Spendthrift Farm (Eric Gustavson).

Trainer: Brad Cox.

Jockey: TBA.

Sire: Gun Runner.

Road to Kentucky Derby points: 135 (No. 2).