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These People VANISHED Out Of Nowhere-Part 1 · The conspiracy

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Speaker 1: Throughout history, people have vanished under strange and unexplained circumstances,
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Speaker 1: leaving behind only questions and eerie coincidences. And in this video,
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Speaker 1: we'll explore four baffling cases of individuals who stepped into
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Speaker 1: the unknown and some of whom never returned.
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Speaker 2: Crime, conspiracy, cults, serial killers, and murder.
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Speaker 3: All things that I love to consume and I know
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Speaker 3: you do too. You sweet, delectable, cherry on top, beautiful little...
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Speaker 3: crispy cake, I'm kinda hungry, intellectual freak. And today we're
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Speaker 3: talking about just that. People who have disappeared, some of
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Speaker 3: which reappeared, but most of which have not. So without
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Speaker 3: further ado, let's unbuckle our seat belts, go Mach 5
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Speaker 3: down the highway, slam on the brakes, and bust through
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Speaker 3: this windshield into these baffling disappearance cases together. The Great
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Speaker 3: Smoky Mountains National Park, a verdant expanse straddling the border
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Speaker 3: of Tennessee and North Carolina, is renowned for its breathtaking beauty.
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Speaker 3: And in autumn, a symphony of colors paints the landscape
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Speaker 3: as deciduous trees prepare for a winter slumber. Mist often
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Speaker 3: cloaks the valley and peaks, lending an air of mystery
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Speaker 3: to the ancient Appalachian range. Despite its beauty, it also
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Speaker 3: carries unseen dangers, with steep ravines, dense underbrush, and twisting
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Speaker 3: pathways that could make any hiker overwhelmed. At a crisp
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Speaker 3: 50 to 70 degrees in September, it was in this
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Speaker 3: captivating setting that Thelma Pauline Polly Melton.
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Speaker 1: Found her second home. Born on February 26, 1923 in Alabama,
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Speaker 1: Polly was one of six children born to Fred and Luella.
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Speaker 1: And those who knew her described Polly as friendly, intelligent,
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Speaker 1: and generous, with a particular affinity for the outdoors and hiking.
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Speaker 2: Sounds like a good time.
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Speaker 1: And her life had taken her through various roles and relationships.
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Speaker 1: She had worked as a teacher and had been twice
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Speaker 1: divorced before marrying Robert Bob Melton in 1975. And Bob,
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Speaker 1: who was 20 years her senior, became her companion in
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Speaker 1: both life and their shared love for the Smoky Mountains.
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Speaker 1: And for most of the year, Polly and Bob resided
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Speaker 1: in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Speaker 2: However, each autumn, they.
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Speaker 1: Would make their pilgrimage to the Deep Creek Campground near
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Speaker 1: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And for over two decades,
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Speaker 1: their Airstream trailer had served as their seasoned abode, allowing
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Speaker 1: them to immerse themselves in a natural splendor they both
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Speaker 1: cherish deeply. And this annual journey had become a defining
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Speaker 1: aspect of their life together, a tradition that both spoke
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Speaker 1: to their mutual appreciation for the wilderness. So just a
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Speaker 1: wholesome as f- And Polly's connection to the area extended
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Speaker 1: beyond mere visitation. She had actually become an integral part
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Speaker 1: of the local community, dedicating her time as a volunteer
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Speaker 1: to the Bryson Presbyterian Nutrition Center. And her commitment was unwavering.
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Speaker 1: She served meals to the elderly residents, and, according to reports,
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Speaker 1: never missed a day of work. And this level of
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Speaker 1: dedication just spoke volumes about Polly's character and her desire
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Speaker 1: to contribute meaningfully to other people's lives. But despite the
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Speaker 1: apparent tranquility of her life, there were subtle indications of
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Speaker 1: underlying complexities. For undisclosed reasons, Polly was restricted from driving alone,
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Speaker 1: a limitation that may have impacted her sense of independence.
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Speaker 1: And additionally, following her mother's death in 1977, Polly had
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Speaker 1: experienced a period of depression. And by 1981, however, reports
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Speaker 1: suggested that her emotional state had improved. So on September 25th, 1981,
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Speaker 1: Polly had made the uncharacteristic decision to forgo her volunteer
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Speaker 1: work at the nutrition center. And instead, she would embark
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Speaker 1: on a hike along with her friends on the Deep
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Speaker 1: Creek Trail. And this day would be beautiful, providing ideal
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Speaker 1: conditions for hiking. And Polly, being 58 years old at
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Speaker 1: the time, was feeling good. she hiked all the time
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Speaker 1: and she was confident that she could make this hike
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Speaker 1: with her friends. And it wasn't like an advanced hike,
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Speaker 1: it was a pretty casual hike for her. But before
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Speaker 1: departing for her hike, Polly had prepared spaghetti sauce for dinner,
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Speaker 1: indicating she did have plans to come back that evening
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Speaker 1: with her husband Bob. So the hike would begin, and
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Speaker 1: it would begin kind of uneventfully, you know, with Polly
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Speaker 1: initially walking pretty slowly. And her companions would kind of
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Speaker 1: tease her about her pace. So Polly would kind of
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Speaker 1: pick up the pace to keep up with her friends.
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Speaker 1: And she would actually start to pass her friends, moving
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Speaker 1: slightly ahead of them. And at approximately 4pm, Polly walked
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Speaker 1: over the hill and kind of out of sight, so
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Speaker 1: her friends couldn't see her. But this mundane occurrence would
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Speaker 1: mark the last time that anyone would ever see Polly again.
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Speaker 1: So when Polly failed to reappear, her friends initially assumed
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Speaker 1: that she had maintained her brisk pace and would be
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Speaker 1: waiting for them at the trailhead. However, upon reaching their destination,
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Speaker 1: they found no sight of her. The initial confusion quickly
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Speaker 1: escalated into alarm. And at 4 30 p.m., Polly's friends
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Speaker 1: returned to the campsite, hoping to find her there. But
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Speaker 1: to their dismay, Bob reported that he had not seen
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Speaker 1: Polly since they had left for their hike.
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Speaker 4: It was such a shock that she simply disappeared. This
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Speaker 4: trail where she disappeared, was considered easy. She could not
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Speaker 4: possibly have gotten lost.
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Speaker 1: And as concerns started to mount, Polly was officially reported missing.
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Speaker 2: At 6 p.m.
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Speaker 1: That same day, prompting an immediate and extensive search effort.
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Speaker 1: So the authorities would close the trail to the public
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Speaker 1: for four days. And the search would involve 150 personnel
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Speaker 1: and nine canine teams, who meticulously combed approximately 100 miles
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Speaker 1: of trails, creeks, and dense forest. And despite the thoroughness
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Speaker 1: of the search, no definitive signs of Polly were discovered.
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Speaker 1: The only potential lead emerged when search dogs detected Polly's
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Speaker 1: scent on a downed tree along the trail. However, park
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Speaker 1: rangers would just kind of dismiss this as a significant clue,
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Speaker 1: reasoning that she had likely just stopped to rest there.
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Speaker 1: And the lack of any substantial evidence posed a perplexing
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Speaker 1: challenge for the investigators. And as days would pass with
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Speaker 1: no breakthrough, law enforcement began to consider alternative scenarios. So
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Speaker 1: the possibility of foul play was deemed unlikely given the
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Speaker 1: brief window of time between Polly's last sighting and her
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Speaker 1: companion's realization of her absence. So it seemed implausible that
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Speaker 1: an abduction could occur quietly in such a well-traveled area.
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Speaker 1: And one theory stated that she had actually planned to
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Speaker 1: meet someone in the park to be picked up, to
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Speaker 1: escape in secret and create a new life, which just
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Speaker 1: seems kind of weird. I mean, she made spaghetti sauce
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Speaker 1: before she left, you know? She was probably planning to
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Speaker 1: go back to make pasta. I don't know.
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Speaker 4: My theory is, and it's simply a theory, I have
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Speaker 4: no proof that she arranged to be met at a
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Speaker 4: crossroad there in the park and be picked up. The
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Speaker 4: theory is that she deliberately was tired of the stress
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Speaker 4: with her sick husband. and that she just decided to
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Speaker 4: make a new life.
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Speaker 1: So on October 2nd, 1981, park officials made a startling announcement.
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Speaker 1: They indicated that evidence suggested Polly had exited the park
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Speaker 1: in a vehicle, likely of her own volition. And this
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Speaker 1: theory was bolstered by the fact that most of Polly's belongings,
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Speaker 1: including her medication, identification, money, and purse, were left behind
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Speaker 1: at the campsite. And park ranger Dennis Barnett articulated this
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Speaker 1: prevailing view.
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Speaker 2: Quote unquote. If she had been in the park, the
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Speaker 2: dogs would have found her. They were well trained.
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Speaker 1: And this statement underscored the growing suspicion that Polly's disappearance
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Speaker 1: might have been intentional rather than the result of a
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Speaker 1: tragic accident or criminal act. But to me, it's just,
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Speaker 1: I mean, I don't, I don't, didn't know her personally,
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Speaker 1: but it just seems strange, very strange. And I think
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Speaker 1: it makes less sense that she left all of her
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Speaker 1: belongings behind, like money, purse, everything, and just left.
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Speaker 2: So, but what do I know, you know?
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Speaker 1: But despite extensive search efforts and ongoing investigations, Thelma Pauly
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Speaker 1: Melton's disappearance remains unsolved. And the case just continues to
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Speaker 1: perplex authorities and captivate the public's imagination. And the Great
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Speaker 1: Smoky Mountains National Park, once a sanctuary for Pauly, now
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Speaker 1: stands as a silent witness to her enigmatic vanishing. And
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Speaker 1: now Pauly's case has just become part of the local lore.
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Speaker 1: periodically resurfacing in the headlines and sparking renewed interest. And
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Speaker 1: modern search and rescue technology, unavailable in 1981, offer tantalizing
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Speaker 1: possibilities of what might have been discovered had they existed
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Speaker 1: at the time. But as years pass, Polly's family and
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Speaker 1: friends continue to seek closure while her disappearance endures as
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Speaker 1: one of the park's most enduring mysteries. So I'm curious
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Speaker 1: what you guys think down below, but I hope that
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Speaker 1: Polly is one day found.
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Speaker 2: And that brings us to our next disappearance.
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Speaker 1: The rugged wilderness of Arapaho National Forest stretches across north
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Speaker 1: central Colorado, a vast expanse of towering peaks and dense
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Speaker 1: pine forests. And here, the air is crisp and the
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Speaker 1: wind carries whispers through the trees. Sudden storms roll in
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Speaker 1: without warning, draping the mountains with thick fog and plunging
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Speaker 1: temperatures in an instant. It's a land that both awes
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Speaker 1: and humbles, a place where nature's beauty is matched only
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Speaker 1: by its indifference. And nestled along the edge of the
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Speaker 1: unforgiving landscape is Silver Plume, a tiny, historic mining town
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Speaker 1: where everyone knows their neighbor. And among the town's few
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Speaker 1: dozen residents was Tom Young, a quiet man who found
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Speaker 1: solace in books. And he actually ran a small bookstore
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Speaker 1: in town, a cozy retreat where worn pages whispered stories
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Speaker 1: of adventures, mystery, and history. And in the weeks leading
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Speaker 1: up to his disappearance, those closest to Young noticed.
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Speaker 2: A shift in his demeanor. Once reserved but.
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Speaker 1: Content, he now seemed restless and distracted, and his friends
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Speaker 1: just couldn't quite place what was wrong. But the change
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Speaker 1: was undeniable. Then, on September 7th, 1987, Young left a
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Speaker 1: note behind stating that he was traveling to Europe.
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Speaker 2: He was heading into the mountains, but he didn't say where.
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Speaker 1: And his only companion on this journey was Gus, who
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Speaker 1: was his loyal golden retriever dog. So days would pass
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Speaker 1: with no one seeing him, and then weeks. And the
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Speaker 1: town whispered and speculated and hoped. But Young and Gus
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Speaker 1: never returned. And 11 months later, on July 31st, 1988,
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Speaker 1: two hunters trekking along the steep inclines of the Republican
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Speaker 1: Mountain stumbled upon something special. There, among the pine needles
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Speaker 1: and loose shale, lay skeletal remains of Tom Young. And
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Speaker 1: Gus was right beside him. And a revolver rested nearby.
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Speaker 1: During the investigation, it was found that Tom had purchased
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Speaker 1: the gun only a few days before he departed on
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Speaker 1: this hike. And the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Department examined
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Speaker 1: the scene, and soon after, the coroner ruled Young's death
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Speaker 1: a slewerslide. But not everyone was convinced. Young's friends and
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Speaker 1: family rejected the notion that he would ever take his
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Speaker 1: own life, especially not with Gus by his side. And
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Speaker 1: even more troubling was the discovery that Young had purchased
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Speaker 1: the revolver only four days before vanishing, a detail that
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Speaker 1: raised more questions than answers, really. And then there was
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Speaker 1: the bullet. The one lodged in Young's skull was either
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Speaker 1: never subjected to ballistics testing or produced inconclusive results, leaving
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Speaker 1: a crucial piece of evidence in limbo. And in the
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Speaker 1: wake of Tom Young's disappearance, Silver Plume, Colorado transformed from
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Speaker 1: a tranquil mountain hamlet into a town shrouded in mystery.
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Speaker 1: And the once friendly atmosphere had given way to an
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Speaker 1: undercurrent of tension. With locals exchanging wary glances and speaking
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Speaker 1: in hushed tones about this unsolved case.
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Speaker 2: But wait, there's more.
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Speaker 1: Update!
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Speaker 2: Just kidding.
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Speaker 1: But this leads into the disappearance of Keith Reinhardt. And
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Speaker 1: it was during this time in Silver Plume before the
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Speaker 1: body of Tom was found, but during the time he
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Speaker 1: was missing, that Keith Reinhardt arrived in June 1988. He
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Speaker 1: was a sports writer for the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights, Illinois,
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Speaker 1: near Chicago. And Reinhard had convinced his initially reluctant wife, Carolyn,
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Speaker 1: to support his 90-day leave absence. And his goal was
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Speaker 1: to pursue his dream of writing a novel. And he
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Speaker 1: believed this quiet, scenic beauty of Silver Plume would provide
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Speaker 1: the perfect backdrop for his creative endeavors while he was
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Speaker 1: on sabbatical, leaving his wife and children at home. But
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Speaker 1: he wasn't alone in town. Keith's childhood friend, Ted Parker,
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Speaker 1: ran a cafe in town. They'd grown up across the
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Speaker 1: street from one another, and they grew up kind of
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Speaker 1: like brothers more so than friends, giving him someone he
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Speaker 1: could actually socialize with when he got bored.
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Speaker 2: In such a sleepy little town.
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Speaker 1: And it also makes sense why he just chose this
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Speaker 1: random town, because he actually knew somebody that lived there.
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Speaker 1: And Keith would also open an antique shop in town
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Speaker 1: to give him something else to do while he was
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Speaker 1: there writing his book. And with his keen interest in photography,
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Speaker 1: he sold matted photos there as well. And his antique
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Speaker 1: shop was located in a building that had been abandoned.
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Speaker 1: And the reason that it had been abandoned was that
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Speaker 1: the previous occupant had disappeared. This is a weird town.
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Speaker 1: I don't like it, man. I don't like it.
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Speaker 2: But who was it that disappeared?
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Speaker 1: This was the same bookstore where Tom Young's bookstore had
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Speaker 1: been located. Cursed bookstore.
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Speaker 2: Cursed antique store.
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Speaker 1: I'm saying it here first. So finding out the store
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Speaker 1: that you had ran had been occupied recently by someone
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Speaker 1: who went missing was sure to be fascinating. And Keith,
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Speaker 1: must have thought so too, because he now had the
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Speaker 1: perfect topic for his novel he wanted to write. And
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Speaker 1: this wasn't just a casual interest in Tom Young's disappearance.
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Speaker 1: Keith's time became solely focused on it to the point
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Speaker 1: where it became his obsession. And the main character of
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Speaker 1: his book, Guy Gibson, was a character who was molded
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Speaker 1: as a combination of both Tom Young and Keith himself.
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Speaker 1: Perhaps Keith dreamed of being the one to discover what
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Speaker 1: happened to Tom Young as well.
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Speaker 2: Perhaps solve the mystery that had.
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Speaker 1: Left the town completely puzzled and inspire the perfect ending
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Speaker 1: to his book. Unfortunately, we know what happened to Tom
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Speaker 1: Young and eventually Keith would learn too. So we know
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Speaker 1: that Tom was found July 31st, 1988. And Keith was
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Speaker 1: roughly two months into his stay at Silver Plume, Colorado
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Speaker 1: at this point. And he supposedly attended Tom's memorial service
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Speaker 1: on August 3rd, four days after the body was found.
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Speaker 2: And four days.
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Speaker 1: After that, Keith would go missing as well. Perhaps Keith
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Speaker 1: was heartbroken or disillusioned with how unceremonious the end had
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Speaker 1: been for Tom Young. But the thing about Keith's disappearances, however,
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Speaker 1: is that he announced it in a way. At 4 p.m.
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Speaker 1: that day, he told his buddy Ted and his friends
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Speaker 1: that he was going on a hike to the top.
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Speaker 2: Of Pendleton Mountain.
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Speaker 3: That was the last time I saw him.
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Speaker 1: And the hike to the top of that mountain takes
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Speaker 1: around six hours. And due to this detail, his claim
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Speaker 1: was taken seriously. So Keith would pack up and go
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Speaker 1: on his hike, and a day would go by and
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Speaker 1: his friends would notice he wasn't back. So a massive
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Speaker 1: search would be conducted. So hundreds and hundreds of people
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Speaker 1: got involved trying to locate him by land and by
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Speaker 1: air and this town that was looking for Tom Young
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Speaker 1: was now looking for another man and it was just
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Speaker 1: just town of despair at this point. So people were
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Speaker 1: searching day and night and they would clock up 10,000
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Speaker 1: man hours just looking. And during the search one of
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Speaker 1: the planes that was actually looking for Keith would crash
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Speaker 1: land and kill the pilot which would lead for the
15:27
Speaker 1: search to completely.
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Speaker 2: End on August 14th. These cases are just riddled with
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Speaker 2: bad luck.
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Speaker 1: I don't know what it is but it's just So
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Speaker 1: the search was done and the mystery of where Keith
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Speaker 1: had gone still remains. And the screen to the computer
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Speaker 1: Keith had actually been writing his book on was actually
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Speaker 1: left on after he left. And the last words he
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Speaker 1: had ever written for his novel could be seen plainly.
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Speaker 1: Some may interpret that to believe that Keith may have
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Speaker 1: taken his own life just like Tom. But it does
15:58
Speaker 1: have a ring of familiarity to a poem that Keith
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Speaker 1: had written also during this time in silver plume. Though
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Speaker 1: exactly when, we can't be certain, but the poem goes
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Speaker 1: as such. Oh God, I want to wander. I want
16:10
Speaker 1: to wander till I die. With the mountains as my
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Speaker 1: living room, my only roof. So perhaps Keith was just
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Speaker 1: troubled and the ghosts of his sorrow are what we
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Speaker 1: see on the page. And if he really did just
16:24
Speaker 1: want to wander until he died, perhaps he got what
16:27
Speaker 1: he wished for. But either way, it's just two very,
16:31
Speaker 1: three very tragic stories, including the pilot. And I don't
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Speaker 1: know if we'll ever know what actually happened to Keith.
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Speaker 1: And that brings us to our next disappearance. The Grand Canyon,
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Speaker 1: a colossal chasm carved by the relentless forces of the
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Speaker 1: Colorado River, stood as a formidable challenge to explorers in
16:49
Speaker 1: the 1920s. The sheer magnitude the steep cliffs plunging over
16:54
Speaker 1: a mile deep and stretching 277 miles long, created an
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Speaker 1: environment both awe-inspiring and treacherous. And the region encompassing parts
17:03
Speaker 1: of the Kaibab National Forest in Northern Arizona presented a
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Speaker 1: landscape of stark contrast, from the scorching heat of the
17:10
Speaker 1: canyon floor to the frigid temperatures of the higher elevations.
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Speaker 2: This wasn't its only challenge, as it was known.
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Speaker 1: To be a frequently visited place by tourists looking to
17:19
Speaker 1: go rafting and boating. And certain areas were safer than others.
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Speaker 2: As they are today.
17:24
Speaker 1: However, a couple looking to do more than just enjoy
17:27
Speaker 1: a casual whitewater rafting trip, rather, they wanted something more impressive.
17:32
Speaker 1: So in this unforgiving terrain, Glenn and Bessie Hyde embarked
17:37
Speaker 1: on an ambitious journey in 1928. Glenn, who was born
17:40
Speaker 1: on December 9th, 1898, possessed prior rafting experience and a
17:44
Speaker 1: spirit for adventure. And he had traveled along this river
17:47
Speaker 1: multiple times and understood its.
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Speaker 2: Bumps and grooves.
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Speaker 1: And Bessie, who was born on December 29th, 1905, was
17:54
Speaker 1: newer to such expeditions, but equally determined. And the newlyweds
17:58
Speaker 1: just shared a common goal, to navigate the entirety of
18:01
Speaker 1: the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, with Bessie aiming
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Speaker 1: to become the first documented woman to accomplish this feat.
18:08
Speaker 1: And their preparation for the journey was meticulous. Glenn constructed
18:12
Speaker 1: a 20-foot wooden sweep scow, a flat-bottomed boat designed to
18:16
Speaker 1: withstand tumultuous rapids of Colorado, and this vessel, which he
18:20
Speaker 1: named Rain in the Face, sick name, would serve as
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Speaker 1: their home and sole means of transportation through the treacherous waters.
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Speaker 1: And the couple's confidence in their abilities and equipment was
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Speaker 1: evident as they set out on October 20th, 1928 from
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Speaker 1: Green River, Utah. So as they set sail and headed
18:38
Speaker 1: deeper and deeper into the canyon, the landscape would transform
18:41
Speaker 1: around them. The once placid river gradually revealed its true nature,
18:45
Speaker 1: with increasingly turbulent rapids testing the hide's skills and resolve.
18:49
Speaker 1: And Bessie's diary entries that were later recovered provided glimpses
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Speaker 1: into their experiences. She wrote of the breathtaking beauty surrounding them,
18:58
Speaker 1: with towering cliffs painted in hues of red and gold,
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Speaker 1: the ever-changing play of light, and shadows across the canyon walls,
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Speaker 1: and the raw power of the river beneath their boat.
19:08
Speaker 1: The journey, however, was not without its challenges. The Colorado River,
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Speaker 1: known for its unpredictable nature, presented a series of dangerous
19:14
Speaker 1: rapids that required expert navigation. And the couple's progress were
19:18
Speaker 1: closely monitored by observers along their route, with their last
19:22
Speaker 1: confirmed sighting being on November 18th, 1928, near the Bright
19:26
Speaker 1: Angel Trail. And at this point, they had successfully traversed
19:29
Speaker 1: some of the most challenging sections of the river through Labyrinth, Stillwater,
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Speaker 1: and Cataract Canyons. Completely unscathed, by the way, and appeared
19:38
Speaker 1: to be in good spirits, confident in their ability to
19:41
Speaker 1: complete the remaining portion of their journey, according to bystanders.
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Speaker 1: But the subsequent events remain shrouded in mystery.
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Speaker 2: Because when the Hydes.
19:48
Speaker 1: Failed to emerge from the canyon as expected, search parties
19:52
Speaker 1: would be organized. And the discovery of their intact boat
19:55
Speaker 1: with all their supplies aboard only deepened the enigma surrounding
19:59
Speaker 1: their disappearance. And as the days just turned into weeks
20:02
Speaker 1: without any sign of Glenn and Bessie Hyde, The Grand
20:05
Speaker 1: Canyon's imposing silence seemed to mock the efforts of those
20:08
Speaker 1: searching for the missing couple. And the last known sighting,
20:10
Speaker 1: as we know, was on November 18th, 1928 at that
20:14
Speaker 1: Bright Angel Trail. And Emery Kolb, a renowned photographer and boatman,
20:18
Speaker 1: captured their image and engaged in conversation with the couple.
20:22
Speaker 1: And Cole reportedly cautioned them about their impending winter weather
20:26
Speaker 1: and the dangers that lay ahead. And witnesses recall Bessie
20:29
Speaker 1: actually expressing hesitation about their journey. But Glenn was just
20:33
Speaker 1: driven with determination and perhaps a touch hubris and insisted
20:37
Speaker 1: that they press on.
20:38
Speaker 2: So it's sounding like.
20:40
Speaker 1: somebody didn't wanna do something and somebody wanted to do something.
20:42
Speaker 2: And we have an issue.
20:44
Speaker 1: But the Hydes would continue their descent along the Colorado River.
20:47
Speaker 1: So authorities would initiate aerial surveys along the river's course,
20:51
Speaker 1: hoping to spot any sign of the missing adventurers or
20:54
Speaker 1: their distinctive craft. And as we know, they found it.
20:57
Speaker 1: And the boat itself showed no signs of damage or
21:00
Speaker 1: struggle appearing as if the couple had just simply stepped
21:04
Speaker 1: off the boat momentarily. And the personal belongings remained untouched
21:07
Speaker 1: as well, suggesting a sudden or unexpected departure. In the
21:11
Speaker 1: absence of footprints or campsites or trails in the vicinity,
21:15
Speaker 1: provided no clues as to what possible direction they could
21:18
Speaker 1: have even gone on. So as the search continued, investigators
21:21
Speaker 1: just grappled with the perplexing lack of evidence. The boat's
21:24
Speaker 1: condition ruled out any immediate catastrophic event, while the presence
21:29
Speaker 1: of the belongings seemed to preclude the deliberate abandonment of
21:32
Speaker 1: the expedition.
21:33
Speaker 2: They seemingly just up and disappeared.
21:36
Speaker 1: Out of nowhere. It's as if the Grand Canyon quite
21:39
Speaker 1: literally swallowed them up. So over the years, the disappearance
21:43
Speaker 1: of the Hydes became the subject of intense speculation and
21:46
Speaker 1: numerous investigations. And rumors would circulate, some claiming Bessie had
21:50
Speaker 1: actually survived and assumed a new identity, while others suggested
21:54
Speaker 1: more sinister fates. Occasionally, tips from alleged sightings tantalized investigators,
21:59
Speaker 1: but ultimately led nowhere, each potential lead dissolving under scrutiny.
22:03
Speaker 1: And recent advancements in technology have offered new avenues for
22:07
Speaker 1: exploration in the decade-old mystery, like LIDAR mapping of the
22:10
Speaker 1: Grand Canyon has revealed previously undetected cave systems along the
22:14
Speaker 1: Colorado River, some potentially accessible during the Hyde's era. And
22:18
Speaker 1: these findings present intriguing possibilities for explaining how two experienced
22:22
Speaker 1: adventurers could have vanished so completely out of nowhere. And furthermore,
22:26
Speaker 1: our understanding of the canyon's hydrology has evolved since 1928, obviously.
22:31
Speaker 1: While the powerful currents of the Colorado River were once
22:34
Speaker 1: considered the primary threat of the river to river expeditions,
22:38
Speaker 1: we now recognize the deadly potential for flash floods from
22:41
Speaker 1: tributary canyons. And changing climate patterns altered the frequency and
22:46
Speaker 1: intensity of these events since the Hyde's time, potentially shedding
22:50
Speaker 1: new light on the circumstances of their disappearance. And as
22:53
Speaker 1: the mystery of Glenn and Bessie Hyde approaches its centennial,
22:56
Speaker 1: It continues to captivate the imaginations of adventurers and historians alike.
23:01
Speaker 1: So the disappearance of Glenn and Bessie Hyde remains one
23:04
Speaker 1: of the Grand Canyon's most enduring mysteries. Despite extensive searches
23:08
Speaker 1: and investigations, their fate continues to elude explanation. And the
23:12
Speaker 1: couple is officially listed as missing and presumed dead, with
23:15
Speaker 1: their abandoned boat just serving as a haunting testament to
23:19
Speaker 1: their final journey. And the Hyde story has captured public
23:21
Speaker 1: imagination for nearly a century, inspiring numerous books, documentaries, and
23:26
Speaker 1: speculative theories. And as technology advances, new possibilities for solving
23:30
Speaker 1: the mystery may emerge.
23:32
Speaker 2: But until then, we don't know.
23:34
Speaker 1: We don't know where they are. Hopefully, hopefully it gets
23:37
Speaker 1: solved one day. But until then, let's move on to
23:39
Speaker 1: our final disappearance. In the heart of Northwest Arkansas, nestled
23:44
Speaker 1: within the embrace of the Ozark National Forest, lies Devil's
23:48
Speaker 1: Den State Park, a captivating expanse of natural wonder. The
23:52
Speaker 1: park's thick woodlands stretch across the landscapes, their verdant canopy
23:56
Speaker 1: providing shelter to a diverse ecosystem. And Devil's Den State
24:00
Speaker 1: Park has long been a popular destination for those seeking
24:03
Speaker 1: respite from the bustle of everyday life. Families, outdoor enthusiasts,
24:08
Speaker 1: and nature lovers are drawn to its scenic beauty and
24:11
Speaker 1: myriad of recreational opportunities. However, beneath this veneer of tranquility
24:17
Speaker 1: lies a landscape that can be treacherous for the unprepared
24:20
Speaker 1: or unwary. I don't know how you can't be wary
24:22
Speaker 1: with a name like Devil's Den. that just screams, don't enter,
24:28
Speaker 1: but that's just me anyway. But the park's geography presents
24:31
Speaker 1: unique challenges with steep hills and rocky terrain that can
24:34
Speaker 1: confound even experienced hikers who stray from marked paths. Dense forest,
24:39
Speaker 1: obscure sight lines, making it very easy for someone to
24:42
Speaker 1: become disoriented. And the numerous crevices, sinkholes, and hidden caverns
24:47
Speaker 1: that riddle the area add an element of unpredictability to
24:50
Speaker 1: a venture off the beaten path.
24:53
Speaker 2: Won't catch me there. Are you kidding me? Sinkholes? Crevices?
24:57
Speaker 1: What?
24:58
Speaker 3: No.
24:58
Speaker 1: And these features, while part of the park's allure, also
25:01
Speaker 1: complicate search and rescue efforts when visitors find themselves in distress.
25:05
Speaker 1: And it was against this natural backdrop of beauty and
25:08
Speaker 1: latent danger that the Van Alst family arrived at Devil's
25:12
Speaker 1: Den State Park in June 1946. And like many families
25:17
Speaker 1: in the area, they were drawn by the promise of
25:19
Speaker 1: outdoor adventure and quality time together as a family, away
25:22
Speaker 1: from the demands of daily life. And among the Van
25:25
Speaker 1: Alst children was eight-year-old Catherine, a very spirited and independent girl.
25:30
Speaker 1: And Catherine just loved the outdoors, but that kind of
25:33
Speaker 1: made her ignorant to the hazards that lurked in the
25:36
Speaker 1: wilderness around her. Which, fair enough, she's eight years old.
25:40
Speaker 1: No eight-year-olds thinking about all the da- sinkholes. and crevasses,
25:44
Speaker 1: you know? So as the family settled into their campsite,
25:47
Speaker 1: there was no indication that their idyllic vacation was about
25:50
Speaker 1: to take a dramatic and terrifying turn. So on this day,
25:53
Speaker 1: the family had been enjoying the park's amenities with the
25:56
Speaker 1: children playing near the campsite, under the watchful eye of
25:59
Speaker 1: their parents. And Catherine, in particular, had been drawn to
26:02
Speaker 1: the nearby creek. And it was here, in a moment
26:04
Speaker 1: of distraction, that the unthinkable would occur. Catherine would vanish
26:08
Speaker 1: from sight, slipping away into the vast wilderness that surrounded them.
26:13
Speaker 1: Her two brothers thought no different and were not worried,
26:16
Speaker 1: continuing to fish.
26:17
Speaker 2: Classic brothers.
26:19
Speaker 1: And later, they would realize that something was wrong, and
26:21
Speaker 1: they would immediately tell their parents once they actually realized
26:24
Speaker 1: something was up and Catherine wasn't actually around anymore. And
26:27
Speaker 1: the realization that Catherine was missing hit the Van Alst
26:30
Speaker 1: family with the force of a physical blow. What had
26:33
Speaker 1: moments before been a scene of familial joy transformed instantly
26:37
Speaker 1: into one of panic. And the parents' initial hope was
26:39
Speaker 1: that Catherine had simply just hidden herself or wandered a
26:43
Speaker 1: short distance away, and that they'd be able to find
26:45
Speaker 1: her shortly. But that just was not the case. And
26:48
Speaker 1: they would alert park authorities. And as hours turned into days,
26:52
Speaker 1: the search intensified. Bloodhounds were brought in to track Catherine's scent,
26:56
Speaker 1: their noses pressed to the ground as they navigated the
26:58
Speaker 1: challenging terrain. Steep hills, hidden crevices, and thick undergrowth impended
27:03
Speaker 1: their progress, while the numerous caves and sinkholes offered countless
27:07
Speaker 1: places where a small child could potentially be hidden from view.
27:10
Speaker 1: So just like a parent's Absolute fucking nightmare.
27:13
Speaker 2: Like, I can't even imagine.
27:14
Speaker 1: And the search would expand beyond the park's boundaries into
27:17
Speaker 1: the surrounding Ozark National Forest. Aircraft were deployed to provide
27:21
Speaker 1: an aerial perspective, scanning the vast wilderness for any sign
27:24
Speaker 1: of the missing girl. And weather conditions would add another
27:27
Speaker 1: layer of complexity to the rescue effort. The risk of
27:30
Speaker 1: rain loomed, threatening to wash away potential tracks or scents
27:34
Speaker 1: that could lead them to Catherine. And nighttime temperatures dropped,
27:37
Speaker 1: raising concerns about hypothermia for a young girl who was
27:41
Speaker 1: exposed to the elements. And as each day pressed without success,
27:44
Speaker 1: hope among the searchers began to wane. And on the
27:47
Speaker 1: sixth day of the search, when optimism had all but evaporated,
27:52
Speaker 1: a breakthrough occurred. Catherine would be discovered in a cave.
27:57
Speaker 1: approximately seven miles from their starting point from where she
28:02
Speaker 1: initially went missing. And the location of her discovery raised
28:05
Speaker 1: immediate questions as the area had been searched multiple times
28:09
Speaker 1: by both air and grounds team.
28:12
Speaker 2: So how had she.
28:12
Speaker 1: Remained undetected for so long? Catherine's condition upon discovery was
28:18
Speaker 1: equally perplexing. Despite Catherine's ordeal, she appeared remarkably calm and composed,
28:23
Speaker 1: just a stoic of a child. And when called by
28:26
Speaker 1: the search party, she reportedly responded with a simple, here
28:29
Speaker 1: I am, like the ultimate game of hide and seek, what?
28:34
Speaker 1: And her clothes showed minimal signs of wear or dirt.
28:37
Speaker 1: defying expectations from someone who had spent nearly a week
28:41
Speaker 1: in the wilderness, trekking seven miles. At most, she was
28:45
Speaker 1: covered in bug bites, but otherwise in very good health,
28:48
Speaker 1: thank God. And the young girl's survival story quickly captured
28:51
Speaker 1: public attention. Reports indicated that Catherine had sustained herself by
28:55
Speaker 1: eating berries and drinking from small water sources found along
28:59
Speaker 1: her journey, like Bear Grylls Who, you know? And even
29:02
Speaker 1: more astonishing was the revelation that she had traversed an
29:05
Speaker 1: estimated 30 miles of rugged terrain barefoot. As I know
29:10
Speaker 1: I said seven miles, but with how much she moved
29:12
Speaker 1: around to get to that point, it was 30 miles barefoot.
29:18
Speaker 2: What? Again, Bear Grylls who? You know?
29:20
Speaker 1: So how in the hell could this young girl climb
29:24
Speaker 1: a zigzag path across rocks and hills and end up
29:27
Speaker 1: this far away from her starting point?
29:29
Speaker 2: And there are many theories.
29:31
Speaker 1: Some of which are like supernatural and Bigfoot and weird
29:34
Speaker 1: and all the things that I love, honestly. But I mean,
29:38
Speaker 1: the most logical one is that she's just a little
29:40
Speaker 1: badass who just went for a really long walk and
29:44
Speaker 1: then got found and is quite literally my hero.
29:49
Speaker 2: Absolutely crazy.
29:51
Speaker 1: And why she walked off in the first place, we
29:52
Speaker 1: don't really know either. But after her disappearance and after
29:56
Speaker 1: being found, authorities implemented enhanced visitor education programs to better
30:00
Speaker 1: inform families about potential dangers in wilderness areas.
30:04
Speaker 2: High five. Good job. So whatever you think down below,
30:07
Speaker 2: I'm curious to hear.
30:08
Speaker 1: But I personally think it was aliens, probably. Or Bigfoot.
30:12
Speaker 4: I don't know.
30:12
Speaker 2: That is it for this video.
30:15
Speaker 1: I know you guys have been asking for more missing
30:17
Speaker 1: persons videos, unsolved cases. I like going over them, bringing
30:21
Speaker 1: them back to light. I feel like it might do something,
30:24
Speaker 1: which is cool. But if you have any other ideas
30:29
Speaker 1: for these videos, let me know down below. I love
30:31
Speaker 1: reading your guys' comments. Also, grab some Sour Boys if
30:34
Speaker 1: you want. If you want a little sweet, sweet candy
30:37
Speaker 1: after this somewhat salty video, go to sour.gg, grab yourself
30:42
Speaker 1: a little sweet treat. And yeah, until then, I will
30:45
Speaker 1: see you beautiful face in the next video.
30:47
Speaker 4: All right, bye.