‘I never thought we’d find him alive’: American man who went missing in Puerto Rican rainforest found alive

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Gray News) – A Wisconsin man who went missing while on vacation in Puerto Rico has been found safe.

After days of searching, the family of 64-year-old Abdur Rahman was found Tuesday.

Rahman reportedly went missing while on a rainforest hike Sunday.

Three extended families were on vacation and had decided to hike through a dense tropical rainforest.

After stopping on a side trail to take photos at a lookout spot, most of the family headed back to the main trail. But Rahman did not return with them.

By Tuesday night, he was resting in a Puerto Rico hospital.

Rahman’s daughter, Mehreen Asra, told WDJT she believed he was dead.

“I never thought we’d find him alive,” she said.

The family contacted 911, and police and first responders went to work with search dogs and thermal imaging drones to find him.

However, the search was suspended when the sun set before starting again at 5 a.m. the following day.

“When we didn’t find him for 24 hours, I thought he fell somewhere and he passed away,” Asra said.

As the third day of searching began, hope waned.

Finally, there was a message that came on the rescue radio: Rahman had been found alive.

Rahman was recovered and taken to the hospital. His family said he told them he was very hungry.

Asra said she spoke with her father in the hospital, who told her he didn’t experience much rest while he was missing.

“My dad was saying that wherever he was, that area was raining continuously throughout the night. He hasn’t slept in the last two days,” she said.

Officials said the area Rahman had been found was a 15-hour walk from where he was last seen.

Fortunately, his family said he suffered no major injuries.

Asra even said he told her he wanted to go hiking again as soon as he was back on his feet.

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