A 73-year-old boater whose raft capsized survived in the snowy Idaho backcountry for five days without food — before he was found just after he had given up and rescued, according to authorities.

Thomas Gray’s incredible tale of survival — which included eating snow, drinking creek water and hiking 23 miles with an injured leg — began during a three-day trip earlier this month on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

He was rafting down Dagger Falls on May 18 to meet his wife the next day when his boat flipped over, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office said.

Gray was thrown to the base of the falls and forced to swim to shore with the raft out of reach.

The septuagenarian, who had suffered a leg injury, hiked toward a launch site where he found shelter in an outhouse for two nights, the sheriff’s office said.

During the day, he unsuccessfully looked for other floaters on the Middle Fork.

After coming up empty, he then walked toward another location, the Fir Creek Pass, and found shelter at a snowmobile club trailer. While there was a wood stove in the trailer, Gray couldn’t find any matches, the sheriff said.

Meanwhile, authorities were furiously searching for the missing man after his punctured cataraft was discovered in the water.

After a night in the trailer, Gray continued on his journey toward the pass, but “became too exhausted” and laid down in the snow.

He hadn’t eaten food in days and was only relying on taking bites of snow and drinking water from the creeks to hang on, the sheriff’s office said.

“Tom was totally exhausted; he decided this was it. He just laid down in the snow and said a prayer,” said Custer County sheriff’s marine deputy John Haugh, according to KSL.

“He was resigned that this was not going to end well.”

But as he lay there in the snow, the owners of an excursion business spotted him.

Steve and Annie Lentz, of Far and Away River Adventures, quickly reached him with their vehicle and first responders who were on board rendered aid.

“If they hadn’t come along, he probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer,” Haugh said, according to the station. “He was in pretty bad shape when they got him.”

Gray’s younger brother, Robert Gray, actually died in 2022 when his raft flipped over in around the same area, Haugh reportedly said.

“Tom called me and said I was his ‘lifesaver,’ but I said, ‘No, I’m just your Uber deputy,’” Haugh said.

The day after Eric Posey put on three drag performances at a 2022 Idaho Pride event, a conservative blogger falsely claimed that he had exposed himself in front of children.

Summer Bushnell, an Idaho resident who runs a conservative online blog, encouraged readers to share the posts, which included an edited, blurred video from Posey’s performance and contact information for local police and the state attorney general. Posey sued Bushnell in September 2022, accusing her of defamation.

The following is a press release from Idaho Transportation Department.

BOISE— Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be a busy travel time in the Gem State. Idaho is about to enter the 100 Deadliest Days on Idaho roads- the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when there is a spike in fatal and serious injury crashes. Seventy* people have been killed in crashes on Idaho roads so far this year — including the recent crash on US 20 in Bonneville County that tragically killed six people in one vehicle. The Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is imploring drivers to be vigilant and drive engaged this Memorial Day weekend and all summer.

“We call this period the 100 Deadliest Days, but it would be great to be proven wrong. Make it safer out there for yourself and others by slowing down, putting down distractions, buckling up, and planning a sober ride home,” said OHS program manager Josephine Middleton.

While it would seem like winter is the most dangerous time to drive, driving is more dangerous in summer. This seems paradoxical. Why would roads be more dangerous in summer when weather conditions are better? During the summer more people are out of school or work, on vacation, and celebrating leading to higher rates of risky behavior behind the wheel like impaired driving, distracted driving, and speeding.

This summer OHS and its partners across the state will work together to remind people to make safer choices whenever they are on the road. Some of these activities will include partnering with law enforcement agencies to get dangerous drivers off the road, public awareness campaigns, and community outreach events.

“We have a lot of wonderful partners who help us make Idaho’s roads a safer place, but we can’t just rely on them,” Middleton said. “We can all do a better job of looking out for each other on our roads and make it safely through this summer.”

2024 Fatality information*:

70 people killed in traffic crashes to date

• 58 people in vehicles
• 5 people on motorcycles
• 4 people on foot
• 1 person on a bicycle
• 2 people on ATVs/UTVs/etc.

2024 Fatalities by county:

District 1

• Bonner – 2
• Kootenai – 2
• Benewah – 1
• Boundary & Shoshone – 0

District 2

• Nez Perce – 4
• Idaho – 2
• Latah – 1
• Lewis – 1
• Clearwater – 0

District 3

• Ada – 7
• Canyon – 9
• Elmore – 1
• Valley – 1
• Washington – 2
• Payette – 2
• Owyhee – 1
• Adams, Boise & Gem – 0

District 4

• Lincoln – 3
• Cassia – 7
• Jerome – 3
• Twin Falls – 1
• Blaine – 1
• Minidoka – 1
• Camas & Gooding – 0

District 5

• Franklin – 2
• Bingham – 3
• Bannock -2
• Oneida – 1
• Power, Bear Lake & Caribou – 0

District 6

• Bonneville – 8
• Custer – 1
• Madison – 1
• Lemhi, Butte, Clark, Jefferson, Fremont, & Teton – 0

*All 2024 data is preliminary and subject to change.