The closest I ever came to having a tragedy was about 10 years ago. I was bowhunting our club in Lowndes several years ago. I had hung an old steel Summit with the little hand climber on a tree a few weeks earlier. Janet's oldest son, Jeremy was with me that day as we were just riding around the club and hanging out. Anyway, I signed in, spoke to 2 old timers that were there and headed out. I didn't take my harness that day as it smelled like gas so I just took a safety strap that loops under your arm. I climbed the tree with no issues as usual. After hunting, I turned around, looped my boots in the loops and started down. On my second step down the stand didn't bite into the tree. I looked down and was terrified at what I saw. The angle arm that goes around the backside of the tree was just swaying. I instantly saw what was going on. Those old summit's arms had bolts on that angle arm that went into holes on the platform and you had a nut that you tightened. Evidently when hanging the stand that day, we were probably talking and I got distracted and just simply forgot to screw that nut onto the bolt. I had tightened one nut but not the other. Climbing up, the downward pressure kept the bolt in place. However, when I lifted the platform to come down, the bolt on the angle arm just came straight out and I no longer had anything to anchor myself to the tree. My feet were in the loops and I tried not to panic but I knew I was in a world of trouble. I had the hand climber under my arms and was trying to get the platform to bite just a little into the tree to give me something to brace my feet on.

After about a minute or so, I was finally able to get the platform at an angle enough to have some kind of bite into the bark. I was still 90% weight on the handclimber but if I didn't put too much weight on the platform to shift it, at least I could hold for a few minutes and figure something out. Thank God I had my cell phone in my shirt pocket and was able to dial the number of one of the guys I saw at camp. I had tried several times in the past to call him for one reason or another and he never once picked up. God answered my prayer and he answered. I tried to explain my situation to him but he was older and couldn't really understand what I was saying so he handed the phone to his friend. I then told Mike that I was in a bad situation and needed him to come as fast as he could and bring another climber. He said he was on the way! I figured if he could climb up, all he had to do was put the bolt back in a hole and tighten the nut. I had the nuts attached to the stand with wire to keep me from losing them so the nut was there, waiting to be attached to a bolt.

I then called my wife because she was going to worry if I wasn't home and as calm as I could, told her what was going on and help was on the way. She was crying and I had to calm her down even though I have to say, I was still terrified I was going to fall or hang there if that platform slipped. I got of the phone praying that was not the last time I heard her voice. I then spent the rest of the time looking at photos of my kids, my siblings, my dad, and just everything I could. I was praying so hard for God to keep me calm not to let me die out there and please let Mike be able to climb up and rescue me.

After 45 minutes (but seemed like 4 hours) of teetering precariously on that pine, I heard the SxS coming. Finally I saw the lights and he stopped. I had my flashlight and started hollering to him to let him know where I was. He hollered back that he could see me and OMG, seeing those lights coming down that logging road and then turning into the woods headed my way was the prettiest sight ever!

He got to my tree and attached a climber to the base and up he came. He finally got to me and with some effort (my legs were so cramped and fatigued from trying to keep the platform on the tree) I was finally able to level the stand enough for him to put a bolt through one of the holes and securely attach the nut. For the first time in over an hour I was able to stand on two feet on something stable. After some effort and with Mike leading the way, we both jacked down the tree and made it to the ground. I have never been so glad to be on terra firma in my life!! As soon as I got loose I gave him the biggest bear hug I could and was really overcome with emotion. I called my wife and we all just praised God that it turned out like it did. I have never been so scared in all my life but at the same time, had a peace that I was going to be ok.

Lesson now is never and I mean never not have a strap attached to you and the tree. Have a knife in easy each, and have your phone charged and in easy reach. Reliving that evening still haunts me.

That guy, who I literally owe my life to, is now in living in Texas with family and trapped in the depths of dementia and the other man who answered my desperation phone call passed away earlier this year. God bless them both. I will be forever grateful to both of them.