Missing 95-year-old found alive after nearly 36-hour desert search
Sheer will and determination is what a 95-year-old Pahrump man relied on to survive after being lost in the desert for close to 36 hours earlier this week, authorities said.
According to Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill, Delbert Combes and his dog left his south-end residence to go off-roading, on Tuesday, morning Aug. 13, at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Safe and sound
Both were located on Wednesday afternoon just before 3 p.m.
McGill noted that Combes commonly takes desert excursions in the hills and desert trails.
“We had no idea from his family that he was going out, let alone what direction he was headed,” McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times. “He usually goes up to the Wheeler Road area.”
Multi-agency response
As a result of his disappearance, numerous resources were used to help locate the man.
“We had a Las Vegas Metro helicopter and ground units looking for him,” he said. “We also had search and rescue, as well as a Nye captain and a deputy in one of our side-by-side UTV’s. I was out driving around in my Tahoe, basically just looking everywhere we could think of.”
McGill said that it was actually Combes himself who contacted authorities of his whereabouts.
“He eventually called 911, which was routed to the Las Vegas, Clark County side,” he noted. “That gave us a GPS coordinate where we narrowed in toward that and eventually found him about about halfway up Wheeler Road, well before the charcoal kilns, before it gets really rough, but he was certainly into a rough trail.”
Not the first time
Additionally, McGill said that last month, Combes was found and rescued during previous recent desert excursions.
“This is actually the third time in about two months that he’s been out there needing help,” according to the sheriff. “It seems he is in pretty, good condition for his age and physical health.”
Physical health aside, McGill did say that once located, Combes appeared to be confused.
As such, Combes was transported to Desert View Hospital.
“He does have a little bit of disorientation at times, according to the family,” McGill said. “When I got there, he wasn’t real alert because of his diabetes and the fact that he was dehydrated and been out there for close to 36 hours without food and water.”
Common sense
Regardless of age, McGill offered advice to anyone who regularly enjoys off-roading adventures.
“I don’t want 20-year-old’s going out in the desert on their ATV’s or side-by-sides by themselves, without telling anybody where they’re going or when they’re going to back, especially without taking along food and water,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you are. You have to use common sense.”
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On X: @pvtimes
