PSA! If you are on multi-day hike like this or even just a day hike in an area you aren't 100% familiar with, and your dog bolts off on you and takes you well off course, TURN AROUND and start walking back to your designated path. 95% of dogs will eventually realize within minutes you aren't following them and they will follow your scent back to you. I know this from years of experience with my dogs I've had throughout my life. You are their source of food, comfort and safety, plus they just straight up love you (unless you're a horrible dog owner). Only certain breeds like huskies (for example), will continue wandering because that's just how they are. Still, if you turn around and start walking away, and they still wont follow you within like 5-10 minutes, mark your trail by bending branches or tying foliage into knots as you locate your pup. It is SO important in these types of situations when you're covering miles at a time on a trip into the back country. I'd recommend going through some re-call training with your pups before you decide to start taking them on hikes as well. Even if you plan on using a leash, it's still a valuable "tool" to have. Regardless of proper planning, people are going to do what they're going to do, so I thought I'd offer some advice. You weren't lying.. this is truly such a sad story.
I would think they’d make special doggy boots for this too. The rest of the advice is awesome! Huskies will also sound off on you so you’ll eventually hear them coming lol 😂
Your point is well taken, but the reason he was so far off course was because the dogs paws were getting torn up from the ice and the guy decided to go the other way with less snow and ice. It was after that when the dog bolted. Again, you're still totally correct. All a person needs to do is just be patient and the dog usually comes back after a little bit.
My partner died 23 days ago and we used to sit down and watch you over dinner almost every night. You’re right, cherish every moment you get to spend with your loved ones. Never take them for granted ❤
Sending prayers of comfort, peace, strength and love. 🙏 Take your new reality journey one second at a time, then when ready one minute at a time. I’m so sorry for your loss 💔
“R.I.P. Your dear partner. This must have been and will continue to be very difficult for you, but please don’t give up on yourself or try dealing with pain in the wrong ways. Although the pain will always be there, time is the best cure. Wishing you love, strength, and serenity.” 🕊💕
John as combat vets that we are we’ve seen the worst of humanity, and yet here you are showing you still have yours. It’s hard for us to show the “weakness” by bearing our feels for all to see, it’s who we are. You have a beautiful soul John, blessings brother
I’m not usually an emotional person, but seeing Mr. Ballen get choked up at the end of the story made my eye’s water. It’s clear he was thinking of his own family at that moment. What a sad story.
I mean, dangerous life (maybe not as dangerous anymore, but SEAL) , three youngins, good relationship with the life partner. He could be reading his own final story. I'd hope he wouldn't go do something as foolish as all this, due to the mentioned reasons, but folks do all kinds of weird stuff. Completely understandable why this story would touch his heart. 😃🥰
Oh my Lord! This story is about my pastor! This happened almost 30 years ago and the church was Boone Memorial and his daughter was one of my best friends! I have missed Pastor Mike for so long. His funeral/memorial was held at a private college in our town. We learned later that my mom's search group almost found him before he starved to death.
I am very sorry for the loss in your community! I am hoping someone sees this comment and remembers this information and passes it on so it can possibly save others. Rule of 3's for survival! 3 minutes without breathing (asphyxiation, blood loss) 3 hours without shelter in an extreme environment (exposure) 3 days without water (dehydration) 3 weeks without food (starvation)
When I heard the “Love, Dad,” I immediately broke down. I was tearing up throughout it, but that just devastated me. The absolute anguish and fear Mike felt must’ve been absolutely gut-wrenching. This story broke my heart, and hearing MrBallen getting choked up at the end made my eyes water. R.I.P. Mike Turner- rest well🤍🕊️ (My condolences go out to his family as well🤍)
Toward the end, I don't think he was afraid anymore. I think he was sad that he wouldn't be able to see his children graduate and get married while alive - which he basically said - but afraid? He was ready. And the fact that he never gave up his faith, that for as angry as he was at God he never denied Him, puts Reverend Turner at Job levels in my opinion. Reverend Turner is safe now, and his family is as well. It has been twenty six years, and while I know the hole his death left will never fully heal, it has scarred enough that the pain is gone. They've said as much themselves.
He promoted a gambling site on one (or more) of his videos. He's a great storyteller, but promoting a disease that leaves entire families penniless negates any perceived altruism. He embellishes a lot of details and is paid quite a bit to do so.
@@encycl07pedia- Driving a car, alcohol, food addiction, investing in bad stocks ect. can also put families at risk yet for the majority of people these things can be enjoyed without becoming dangerous. It's about personal responsibility. Gambling is no different. McDonalds isn't responsible for your heart attack, nor is the Casino responsible for you betting money you haven't got.
@@AmplifiedBlack You don't understand "May my conditions not deny my love for you" then. It's not a babbling of delusion at all, not close. I think it would help if you sought some higher power when you fall into hard times, whatever that may be for you.
Never seen Mr. Ballen this emotional. You can tell he almost couldn't hold it in towards the end of the story. Almost got me too. Thankyou relaying the sympathy for Mike.
I heard your warning and I didn't listen, I even saw the red flags pop up when you said to give the like button a hug and I still didn't listen... And 30min later I'm sitting here bawling, truly the most heartbreaking story you've told yet and so beautifully spoken 😭
Same here everything you said. Then seeing MrBallen teary eyes and choked up a little is so heartfelt! This is any hikers greatest fears of ever happening to them! No matter how well equipped or prepared or thought out scenarios, you just never know what could happen comes with it. This story when saying how much he appreciate his family and further wishes more time with them, reminds me. My parents thought us early on after my Uncle passed away from an accident, to never leave the presence of another angry and without saying I love you bc you never know it might be the last time you see that person. It just isn't worth it! 🙏🏼❤
I can genuinely hear his voice slowly breaking down as he tells the story towards the end. It really is a very emotional story and I'm speaking from experience
Mike fulfilled his purpose for being on earth."Well done good & faithful servent". It was his time to go. I'm sure, he was welcomed with open arms, in Heaven.✨🤗😇
@@cherylfox6765 Shush human ! No one deserves to die like this. What purpose serves slowly wasting away, alone, afraid and deprived of any water, shade or true shelter. Dude had years in him to live with his family and you basically say "It's actually a good thing he died."
That's why the famous phrase "never say goodbye while angry with one another" is so important. No matter how irritated you might be, always tell your family you love them and give hugs because you never know..
@@taradv8122 probably not lol because when they pass it doesn't change how they treated you as a person when they were alive. So just because they inevitably pass like we all will one day, I could understand feeling bad for their family that they passed even though you don't feel any different about the deceased. Make sense?
your storytelling comes from such a place of compassion. i never forget that the people you are talking about in these stories are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. and this intro really drives it home for me: beyond the incredible storytelling ability, the empathy is the other thing that keeps all of us coming back to you every sunday. these are more than just scary stories. they are the human story
True you really can see that compassion In a lot of things he says and does. Here's an example of what stood out most to me: When he mentioned Andy coming out on his last leg and super skinny he cut in to say "Andy has made a full recovery and is doing good" instead of making all of us wait to know if doggo ended up being ok
Thank you Mike for leaving your story behind. You left your family with answers and left your heart for all to see and hear. I’m sorry you went through what you did.
Sorry too !!! I knew this story before but this hit like a ton of rocks. John is loaded with professional experience and of course it's his Job. He sure is that kind of Talent in Entertainment truth or not.
@@JohnDoe-lc9yjThe kids may be better off without him. Think about it: his dog, wife, and God all failed him. He didn't seem to have solid relationships with any of them. He went hiking alone without an emergency transponder, leaving his wife alone with the children for over a week several times so he could commune with nature.
@@scottiepimpinnnIt's a horrible thing for him to do. It sounds as though he regularly left his wife alone with all the household responsibilities so he could vacation alone for weeks. Rather selfish.
“Fill me with peace Lord. May my conditions not deny my love for You”… i sincerely mean this from the depths of my heart… this is one of the most touching things I’ve heard… I don’t know why it hit like it did, but what a divine request to make upon a desperate realization…
Yes this quote was powerful. The whole story made me think of Job. And all of his suffering despite his deep love for God. Such a heartbreaking ending for this man and his family.. Lord please help us accept the things we cannot change. ❤️
@@brittanylittke5931 that’s exactly what I thought too! The peace within one’s soul that one must feel to attain this level of commune with the divine is something I can only aspire to, I feel… again, not to take away from this man’s life or his family whom I am sure would have preferred him with them, that he found what so many seek….
Religious believers are terrible people. To still believe and love a thing like god after stories like this makes me sick to my stomach more then the details of the story do. How is this kind of horrible fate acceptable to you in the name of religion and still defend god? Disgusting.
I am not religious, or spiritual, but I love this beautiful, painful world and this quote still rings true in my own sense. Beautiful quote. Sad, sad end. May we all be so lucky to find such peace at the end of it.
My husband has had dogs for years. He told me never go looking for his dog if he runs away, he will always sniff his way back to you. A very harrowing story which brought me to tears.
Yeah as much as that sounds impossible, i agree.. instinct says all it takes (especially in dense woods) that a 5 min hike in the wrong direction could get you turned around and then you're going miles or days the wrong way.. great advice. No one wants to lose their pet/best friend. But at what cost..
@@johnlombardo7816 a dog isnt going to lose you. their sense of hearing/smell is so much better than ours that unless the dog kept going in 1 direction for days (which it wont), it will still know where you are. its foolish to go looking for the dog. you're the one that's lost, not the dog.
Police dogs can find a missing child in a forest literally by sniffing a sock of theirs. Now imagine a dog that you had since they were a puppy, they've known your scent for their entire life. It'd be practically impossible for them to lose you. A German Shepard can tell a stranger's presence has been in your house even after 24 hours.
A dog WILL return. Chasing it doesn't make sense. It will just run farther. I would never take my dog on an arduous hike- humans have shoes and tools. A dog is essentially at the mercy of its owner, the terrain, climate, and wildlife. The situation, being alive + unharmed perfectly stuck between boulders, must've been an act of the god Mike believed in. He's at peace.
@@ItsNeverAManequin its a dog.. i have a dog, i love my dog, but she is still a dog.. they(albeit very removed from..) are animals, built for wild, built for terrain.. it may take time to acclimate to a month long trek sure, but ive taken my dog on many day hikes and she was just fine.. we have come to treat dogs better than people.. we need to do better, myself included..
Man…. Seeing you break near the end of the story broke me. Not only is this a sad and tragic story on its own, but when you have a wife and kid/s it really hits harder.
@@KrystalessRHis retelling of the events of 9/11 broke me. I read 2 books on that day and no matter what the truth is behind the event it showed the power people have when they come together from the 1st responders to the people with boats providing escape everybody who helped others and those who went up those stairs and the people who carried disabled and injured.
Same here! 🙄 Proves why 95% of America only knows 5% of the Bible and the skeptical know all of it becoming instant skeptics. SDA 30 years here and faith dropping the more I read in context. call any anything negative but, I know what a true ignorant hypocrite is with lack of honesty.
Lol By kill Mike, God really blessed his family! 😅 What kind of death cult delusion you drugging yourself. Lol I guess if one of your friends lost his child you told them Godbless for losing their child, what a rude sick demonic crap are you? Lol
Listening to you get choked up reading this made it so much more real. Sometimes i think we forget these are people we are hearing about and this man went through so much. Thank you for telling his story.
@@MrBallen Did you know the Bible says "the gift of God is eternal life" (Rom. 6:23)? To understand this, answer these questions: Have you ever lied, stolen, or used God's name in vain? Jesus said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." If you have done these things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer at heart, and He will punish you in a terrible place called Hell. But He is not willing that any should perish. Sinners broke God's Law but here's the gospel (good news)- -Jesus paid their fine. This means their case can be dismissed: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death. Today, repent and trust Jesus, and God will give you eternal life. Then read the Bible daily and obey it. God will never fail you. Eternal life is Heaven and Heaven is a wonderful place as Revelation 21:4 tells us “He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. 😊
MrBAllen, I appreciate the advice in this episode. My husband had a sudden heart attack last week, and while I tried to do CPR for 15 minutes until the paramedics arrived, he passed away. This week has been the most horrific, nightmarish, torturous week of my entire life. My husband had turned 59 two days prior. He had no will. He was not organized. It's a mess. But I had to stop flailing and sit here to watch you tonight. Thank you for your stories. Tonight, you really, really helped someone.
I’m so sorry Lori. The loss of your husband is tragic; trying to save him unsuccessfully is traumatic. It is not your fault. Please go easy on yourself. Please reach out to others for help. ❤️🩹
THAT'S what got you? Not a good person slowly dying of starvation and dehydration while struggling with his thoughts and emotions regarding his family and faith? I like dogs too but come on man.
I'm glad you kept the emotional parts in there. It really deserves the tears. I cannot imagine what that poor guy went through. Fear, anger and in the end just submission. Broken and realizing he couldn't make it. What he wrote and what he did with the ring was so heart breaking. I felt it so deep. The fact he did what he did shows what kind of a man he was. I'm glad he had good people in his life. I'm also glad the dog survived. Thanks for covering this story the way you did. You made it real, you made it human. Thanks man.
@@8.24. It's complicated. People who believe in God will always believe that there's a reason for their suffering. They will believe it purifies them and that early death is a way of being with God sooner. Like Mr.Ballen said, before Mike died, he turned back to God. I can understand that point of view and you won't until you believe in someone incredibly fiercely, so much so that, even when you see them breaking your trust right in front of you in the worst way possible, you'll make excuse for them to yourself. I don't know if that's healthy, but I have seen people find peace in this way, so who am I to judge? Would you rather die an unjust death being angry at your situation or believe that something good will come out of it, even when it won't? If I'm dying anyway, I think I would tell myself the latter for my own sake above all.
@@Themostdef100 that’s kind of an awful thing to say imagine saying that about someone source of comfort and the purpose in life when they haven’t hurt anyone
Wow!! What made this story even more heartbreaking is listening to Mr Ballen fight through his own tears & emotions to finish this beautiful story. May God continue to bless you and all the stories you tell. I really thought Mike was going to make it through and this would of been a story about walking in Faith but even though he didn’t survive this still turned out to be exactly that. It teaches us that regardless how strong our mind tries to trick us and turn us away from God, we know that he is God that is after our own hearts! 🥰 Even while facing the doors of death our minds will always be the first to flee leaving our hearts to have the final beat for our creator! We can be brain dead but as long as our hearts still beat we’re more alive than we can ever be. As his mind was fleeing his heart turned back to Christ.🤗 I pray that God continues to cover this family in his divine level of peace, love & joy that only he can give. In Jesus name I pray. AMEN
What a sad story. I am glad his life was so fulfilling and that he knew what true love is not only for and from his wife but from his family and his dog. I can understand why this was such a hard story to get through. I hope he is no longer lonely.
That doesn't even make sense. If he was "fulfilled," he wouldn't feel the need to go on the craziest adventure he could think of or try to get closer to god. These things literally mean his life wasn't fulfilled
@@littlethuggiebut the point of this story is he didn't realize initially how fulfilled his life was until he was about to lose it and then he finally understood what truly gave his life purpose.
Disagree. It is not "true love" to knowingly take such an extreme risk that had a very real possibility of him leaving his family fatherless. Real love would have meant forgoing his personal desire for a spiritual adventure for the sake of his wife and kids
Hearing Mr. Ballen choke up & sniffle toward the end, broke me. I definitely recognize another human who has felt that loneliness & despair. Im glad you got help when you did, for you, for your family, and lastly, for us the strangers whose lives you touch & enrich with every story.
That's what I was thinking...I'm jot trying to sound like a rock but ive definitely heard sadder and more disturbing stories told by this guy. I feel this one hit him home cause he can relate and not so much cause it's the saddest story he has told before.
@mr_4point681 There is a story he told of an older couple that was buried alive, betrayed by someone they had helped. He talked about how you could hear the sound of them struggling undermeath the soil. That story broke my heart in tiny pieces. I cried in my bed, and it took me several days to heal. I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but I barely felt anything in this story.
I guess the only way God could exist is if he gave everyone what they ever wanted. How can God allow tragedy to happen to good people? Was Mike a good man? Am I? Christ said no one is good but God. All have sinned and fall short. I don’t know why in order for God to exist it means bad things can’t happen. If he isn’t real then Mike isn’t conscious to worry about it and his family won’t be either. If he is then Mike’s faith in Christ saved him from a worse fate than dehydration.
so rude. God didn’t make the world an unsafe place and He doesn’t cause suffering. Original sin (disobedience) did that. We are supposed to be living in an earthly paradise, the garden of Eden, but because of the disobedience of the first humans we have been left to make our own choices and have free will. God doesn’t cause bad things to happen, but He does allow it because our surrender to Him and our peace in Him is an example of our faith in Him. Do we humans who believe in Him get angry, hurt, betrayed, sick? Yes. That isn’t God. That is the corruption that entered the world when Lucifer fell. Our faith in God holds us steadfast. He never leaves us. It is a comfort in times of trouble and I wish everyone could feel it.
Hearing that teary emotion in your voice, toward the end, was intense and VERY moving........who better, could bring this tale to us..........The Greatest!
This is the first time Mr. Ballen's storytelling brought me to tears.. Being a mom and being someone who treasures being with family above anything, the loneliness Mike felt and wrote about really got to me. Thank you for the awesome story Mr. Ballen.
Me too. I can't imagine how that felt to b alone & then to question yourself & reflect on life & to then appreciate the things & time u take for granted.
@@TheREALJackFurious yep. this and that damn elephant story are his only two stories to ever bring me to tears and i'm mad that I ever remembered that poor elephant. i had finally mostly forgotten about that damn story and now here i am thinking about it again.
Omg your face and your tone from the part where he took off his wedding ring brought me to tears, you could see the and hear the genuine emotion you were feeling and you really do pass that on to your listeners. You are by far THE most compassionate story teller ever, as Tina would say, Simply The Best! ❤
So story’s about death are not as bad as this? Or did mr ballen get bought out and is trying to be more relatable/sensitive due to what his buyers want? This is goofy. Sold out…
@@Youngbl33zythe hoops you are jumping through to get to that conclusion are astronomically huge. But seeing you spammed this comment in the entire comment section it's probably just rage bait.
I don't normally comment on video's but this one felt needed. This honestly strikes a new fear in me knowing my grandpa loves to hike and go have fun in the woods. I had to learn to cherish family in a very hard way, I lost my uncle to leukemia, From my understanding its a bone cancer that depend of specific blood cells. I miss him every day and it was so hard to lose him that way, but I could never imagine losing anyone like this...
I could see, hear, and feel the emotion in this story. I was left speechless. Not only heartbreaking but shows how much faith and trust he had in the Lord. A brave man who is an inspiration in that sense. Thanks for the story MrBallen.
@jaygee228 wow talk about a cinical asshole eh..no one deserves or chooses to die in agony n suffer for multiple days wishing he had his family..like seriously what is wrong with you? Clearly you have had something happen to u, to make u so heartless..I feel sorry for you
@@jaygee228 brave for not staying home and doing nothing, which will also kill you in a different way, by the way. Going out into nature is good for your mental and physical health, and though mistakes were made, he didn't languish in his armchair. Good for him to be that kind of man.
I'm just 10min in but as an biologist volunteering in nature conservation, dog owner and hiker myself I want to ask everyone here who owns a dog to be so responsible to keep your pet on a leash or a towline for the safety of your pet, yourself and the wild life around while being out...a dog chasing after a wild animal can lead to very dangerous situations and unnecessary deaths of your dog or wild life and you chasing after your dog as well! Dogs falling down slopes happens often for example.... I would say from my experience that about 90% of dogs aren't reacting well enough when being called in such situations...they pick up the scent of a deer or rabbit and of they go running into a street or some predator...or harming wild life that has to suffer unnecessarily... Please take care, please be safe, please take responsibility! ❤
Men, boys, males - refuse to keep their dogs on a leash, even inside buildings (at least in Seattle - plus, there are no police here). They let them piss, shit, puke, hump, attack, bark - whatever they want - I've watched this for over 21 years. BOYS WILL NOT LEASH THEIR DOGS - THEY'RE TOO SPECIAL! There's no way they'll keep them leashed - ANYWHERE, EVER! "Boys will be boys"
One thing I’ve noticed about true crime storytellers is that many of them seem to lack compassion for the people on the story. They treat it as if it’s only just a story and not the worst thing to ever happen to the people in it. Mr. Ballen doesn’t do this. Even when he’s telling a story for entertainment there is an underlying feeling of compassion and the knowledge that these are real people he’s talking about. Your empathy is admirable and contagious. Thank you for being a rare gem in the dark and mysterious cave of true crime.
I was thinking the same thing and was going to express the same!! A very “this story deserves to be told” but this isn’t fiction. We still need to respect and remember this is real and show our compassion to those affected by the story.
@@trafficjon400 She’s not making assumptions, she’s saying there are many other people who are telling stories with compassion. I don’t even think you know what the word assumption means 😂 Who are these other so called horrible story tellers with no compassion?
Thank you for letting us know that Andy survived very early in the story. I just wish poor Mike had lived too. I wonder if he made Andy leave him to try and save his dog.
@@grimsgraveyard3598I believe it is often due to the fact that the dog did not understand or choose the danger. That being said, the man’s death is a tragedy and inconceivably sad.
@@dF_fallzI’d like to offer some perspective on this from a forensic clinical psychology standpoint. Being able to tolerate stories of human tragedy vs stories featuring animal harm is actually very common. You’ve already received a very good response, in that animals don’t fully understand the consequences of situations we put them in. And that’s certainly one part of it. But importantly, in my work I have found that the overwhelming majority of people who can handle human harm but not animal harm, tend to be people who have experienced/witnessed (usually extreme) harm or cruelty in their younger lives. These people also often had a beloved family pet growing up. In simple terms, we have found that witnessing or experiencing cruelty or trauma caused by other people lends to this feeling. They want to protect the thing that is innocent and unaware. It’s important to remember that everyone copes with “the strange, dark, and mysterious” in their own way. What happened to Mike was undoubtedly horrible, and a person not being able to listen if Andy had been hurt doesn’t take anything away from that. There are a lot of red lines for people that ARE messed up, so drawing it at animal harm is not cause for alarm for myself and many other clinicians. I hope I was able to offer some helpful insight!
You told Mike Turner’s story with such compassion. I’ve been watching you since the beginning and never saw you like this. I lost a dear friend during a solo hiking trip in the Sierras; we thought his camping base site from the previous year looked good. There was a storm and he used a locator beacon and went for higher ground. His search was similar to Mike’s but he was found in a crevasse. Mike really had a struggle, in many ways. You shared his story with such empathy.
This was one hefty story. Can you imagine all those HOURS that poor man went through? How long does an hour feel when you're in need of help, or just when you're doing something you don't want to be doing. He must have had a million emotions until he finally perished. The bouquet of flowers must've been so heart warming.and heart breaking at the same time... You did this one well John, we're all Ballen our eyes out here.
Man, when you said he had a story to tell my hopes were so high that they had found him in the knick of time. That made everything so much more heartbreaking..
You really never know when it’s your last day… at least he got the chance to write down his last thoughts, a momento for his family, and a sweet card left for his wife. A lot of people die suddenly without the ability to say goodbye, even if it’s one sided. It really made me tear up when you were talking about him not being able to watch his kids grow up. I think that’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Proud of you MrBallen for working on yourself to be the best for your family. Just make sure you let them be there for you. We were never meant to do this alone.
I agree but unfortunately I am totally alone I have a huge family but greed over money is ripped it all away from me I have none and they demand every penny I've got to put me in my place how funny but it's not funny
@angelicamichelle1646 I have the same problem with my brothers! They are basically all I have left in my immediate family and they got greedy over money, and now we haven't spoken in years! I completely understand where you are coming from
Wow… watching this a day before thanksgiving when family from far and near get together. Really puts me into perspective and humbles me to love my family and tell them how much I appreciate them and love them. Thank you Mr Ballen for sharing this incredible story.
Seeing Mr. Ballen on the verge of tears was almost as sad and devastating as this heart wrenching story. 😢 I feel that most people don't think about nor realize what some content creators are subjected to during their research and telling of stories. Please, Mr. Ballen: practice self care, hug your family tight and remember how loved you are by so many. We are all so grateful for all you've done for us, both as a soldier as well as a storyteller. You are a true hero. 💜💜💜
I heard a story like this before. It was a woman hiker being trapped and on her remaining days she also wrote a journal. It was so devastating and heart wrenching.
Geraldine? I believe that was her name. Truly tragic and unsettling how a person can be so close while lost off a trail. Yet far enough they go unnoticed and perish.
Yesss! Geraldine , her trail nickname was “inchworm”. She made notes in her journal for 26 days after she went too far off the trail to pee and got lost. She was actually extremely close to the trail, less than 2 miles. Her camp was also set up under a dense thicket of trees but there was an opening in the canopy of trees right near her and if she would have been set up under the opening in the canopy, the search from the air would have most likely spotted her tent/camp. Soooo sad. Both stories.
I’ve listened to almost every story you’ve ever posted. Along with many other channels that cover the same topics. But this story right here just hits differently…
This is the first story you've ever told that brought a tear to my eye. Absolutely pulls at the heartstrings, to think that one decision ended up like that makes one stop and think, where have my decisions put me into a proverbial rock and hard place.
Mr. Ballen never fails to tell an amazing story. His body language and the way he moves his hands combined with the way he keeps you on the edge of your seat makes it perfect.
Thats because he makes up parts of the story lol. You never questioned how he knows what ppl are thinking as they die? That's just the beginning. Dude isn't a good person
@@bhickman6. You know, every single human being has their own beliefs and faiths about life, just like you. And to possess no feelings of sympathy for a man who’d devoted his life to supporting people, and who loved his family and the world around him, who went through something so profoundly painful, tragic, and alone (all because he wanted to save his dog) says something disturbing about you and people like you. But that you’d actually respond to someone’s heartfelt comment by drawing attention to your jarring lack of humanity and compassion, implying that Mike was undeserving of your sympathy because of his faith, that you felt warmer towards his surviving dog (who Mike managed to keep alive), is a remarkable example of flawed thinking. JS
@@bhickman6 One thing for certain: We'll ALL find out soon enough whether it's a "myth." I'm certain God is not a myth. Mike attained his goal of getting closer to God, just not in the way he first envisioned. Please for your own sake open your mind and heart to the existence of God. And don't disparage believers. More people believe in a god than do not believe in one, btw.
This story hit so close to home with me! My dad was a pastor who loved hiking and camping and the outdoors. He would go on trips to get closer to God too. While thankfully my father didn’t have a horrible accident that caused him to suffer, he would go on a hike in the Shawnee national forest and never come home. While on a hike with a group he would separate for a short break, but by the time his group came back for him it was too late, he had suffered a heart aneurism and died there on the trail. I’m so grateful that the last thing I said to him was “I love you”. My dad was my best friend and the reason I love the outdoors like I do. So I was definitely in tears throughout this story. Thanks for telling it so beautifully Mr.Ballen!♥️ P.S. can’t wait to see you in Atlanta!
@@touriel8943 Why 95% of Christians in America only know 5% of the Bible is Absurd. just reading Exodus 21 and Mark 14:48-53 Numbers: and Moses having his soldiers kill off millions of mothers Baby boys. but, the Rewards the Soldiers get for completing is absurd the Worst of all of Awarding soldiers to own and keep alive the little Virgin Girls to do as they choose in private. making me sick to believe such a phsychopath. Mark:14 dropped my faith to all most Zero. Reading verses 48-53 how could a God make one become a pedifile. But just void this you Hypocrites and throw it in the trash by Cherry picking your 5 or 10%. SDA for 30 years Mother Sister dying horrible deaths just for Delivering Bibles to Belize South America. Jesus building the great lake of fire for eternity after Paul said God forgiving by his Grace. the ten Commandments a few pages before EXODUS 21 where you can own all the gentile Slaves for life. you can also beat them daily as long as they don't die in 2 days is nothing but Absurdities. A-MEN
So sorry for your loss - if it’s any consolation he knew he was loved sincerely & he was in an environment he enjoyed so dearly - my he rest in peace ❤
I love that he gets emotional while storytelling. Just shows he's sensitive and human. He doesn't try to be something he's not, doesn't pretend to be tough. Thanks for another great Sunday story Mr B ✌️❤️
I agree and, to me, it's obvious that MrBallen's empathy is intesified because he has faced his own incredibly trying times and knows first hand how detrimental dispair and loneliness can be in those moments. Thank you for your service to our nation, John, and thank you for tapping into your emotional empathy while sharing these amazing stories. You're a blessing to all of us. #mrballen
I lost three siblings and my parents in a year and a half. My whole family !! And l tell people that, those family members who drive you crazy, you will miss them when their gone. Don't waste precious moments you can have. Find the best in people and take that with you !!
This story really made me reflect on how invaluable my family is and their limitless love for me. Matt’s final moments, thinking about his kids future, changing his attitude towards God and accepting his fate is truly heartbreaking but teaches us a powerful lesson at the same time
You already felt in the intro that this story was hard to deliver for MrBallen. It was not business as usual, the body language was tense right from the start. That just shows how much respect and feeling he is putting into his storytelling. The reason why i love this channel so much! Greetings from Germany!
@@amy-leacoopertwiggyvonlea8969 Well, i do not care, there are always trolls or negative ppl on the internet. Thanks for clarifying. English is not my mothertongue, so it was hard to understand. Have a good one ☺️
I have seen many YT videos of people with their pets and the love and enjoyment that they get from each other. That is when I close my eyes and send a message out into the Universe, "Please, next time around, could I have a pet?" I hope.
You weren’t lying, at the end of the story my eyes were filled with tears. That’s such a sad and torturous way to go. I feel so sad for that man’s family especially Diane
the love dad part of the story broke me my dad always ends his texts with that. thank you for the reminder to love my family while they are still here. best channel out here !!
Unbelievably tragic and no better way to capture the intensity of this sad story than Mr Ballen narrating but also the story telling is so spot on. I like walking and hiking (used to), this is my worst fear, of getting injured and with no one to help me.
I've been watching John for years, and he is absolutely the best at storytelling. Rest in peace, Mike, may God bless you. This story definitely brought me to tears.
What a heart breaking story, never hike alone, never take a dog on a rugged trail. Just a few days ago I saw a news story about mountain rescue volunteers having to carry a german shepherd on a stretcher for five hours because it's pads were badly cut. This was in Cumbria UK. The owners shared the story to warn others not to take their dogs on hikes in rugged terrain their paws aren't designed for it.
I don't get it either. Sure, if you want to put your life at risk, DON'T put your pet's life at risk, or your kids, etc. Its just beyond stupid to take kids & pets to dangerous treks through dangerous area. WTAF are such people thinking?
you can get another Dog 🐕 but you cant get another brother or auntie.plus the dog put him in that situation.also i used to be a pet owner.humans first.his dog killed him.
The raw emotion + John’s storytelling ability yields one of the best tales I’ve ever heard…the chills are ever blossoming throughout my being. You told this man’s story beyond properly and with so much dignity that you should be proud of yourself
The quick "just so you know, Andy would made a full recovery," made me chuckle a bit. The story is heartbreaking enough, had to get it out that the dog is ok.
@@ceceliazdude SAME. As soon as I heard “dog” I was so bummed as I couldn’t watch/listen anymore. But I came down to the comments to see if anyone put any spoilers about the dog and luckily this comment did 😂 OP is the goat. Now I can continue watching 😁
Stories like this make me wish there was a LOVE button on youtube. As a father of 3 beautiful children, this hit so hard and deep into my heart. The greatest wealth ever is Family. And if youve got one, cherish them dearly. Thank you Mr Ballen ❤
I went hiking and camping alone just once in the mountains near Albuquerque. I did it because my 15-year-old brain thought I needed a challenge to prove my manliness. Divorced parents, dad not around much, and I wanted to test my courage. My mom dropped me off in the foothills to retrieve me the next day at the same spot. I knew the area well and had hiked it before. My best friend and I hiked and camped for days from the base of the 10K ft mountain from one side to the other. It was among the best times of my life. But being alone in my camp after dark was pretty terrifying despite having my shotgun with me. Nobody was up there but me, my thoughts, and the sounds of the forest. I don’t recall sleeping a wink, but the experience did help my self confidence. I can understand why hikers go solo, but after hearing all the UA-cam stories I would never do that again. It’s just too risky being by yourself with no way to contact anyone. Anything can happen to you.
PS...thanx for sharing your story, and that's really similar to my childhood but mines was much more sad & lonlier, but I'm not gunna bore or annoy anyone. I know I can usually roll my eyes 🙄on YT when folks (sometimes) comment whilst seemingly looking for sympathy.
Watching this video has 100% endeared me to you MrBallen! It was evident this story impacted you emotionally on a level unseen on a majority of similar channels. It's great to see a creator on YT who cares so much about his story subjects
Can you change your youtube name if you are going to be a wimp? You don't really have to of course. I think it's funny that the sweetest people like to reference evil things in thier usernames.
I have brain cancer and I've always said to others to let their loved ones know as often as they can because tomorrow is never promised ❤. I'm sorry for your loss 💔🙏🫂
Very sad story. Have you noticed that it's always the good ones that die young or before their time and evil bast*ds live a long time so their really old when they die. I've often wondered why this is and I can only imagine that perhaps God sees the pureness of their soul so brings them home ?
I’m going on tour! Grab your tickets at tour.ballenstudios.com/
Lets gooo
Can't wait for the live strange, dark and mysterious stories! ❤
I'm ready! Bring it!
Can not wait!!!❤
Don't go mr beasts way please
PSA! If you are on multi-day hike like this or even just a day hike in an area you aren't 100% familiar with, and your dog bolts off on you and takes you well off course, TURN AROUND and start walking back to your designated path. 95% of dogs will eventually realize within minutes you aren't following them and they will follow your scent back to you. I know this from years of experience with my dogs I've had throughout my life.
You are their source of food, comfort and safety, plus they just straight up love you (unless you're a horrible dog owner). Only certain breeds like huskies (for example), will continue wandering because that's just how they are. Still, if you turn around and start walking away, and they still wont follow you within like 5-10 minutes, mark your trail by bending branches or tying foliage into knots as you locate your pup. It is SO important in these types of situations when you're covering miles at a time on a trip into the back country.
I'd recommend going through some re-call training with your pups before you decide to start taking them on hikes as well. Even if you plan on using a leash, it's still a valuable "tool" to have.
Regardless of proper planning, people are going to do what they're going to do, so I thought I'd offer some advice.
You weren't lying.. this is truly such a sad story.
I would think they’d make special doggy boots for this too. The rest of the advice is awesome!
Huskies will also sound off on you so you’ll eventually hear them coming lol 😂
Thanks man, that's great advice.
How about don't take your house dog on such challenging trails😅
Your point is well taken, but the reason he was so far off course was because the dogs paws were getting torn up from the ice and the guy decided to go the other way with less snow and ice. It was after that when the dog bolted. Again, you're still totally correct. All a person needs to do is just be patient and the dog usually comes back after a little bit.
A dog is better at tracking itself back to you than vice versa.. definitely good advice..
My partner died 23 days ago and we used to sit down and watch you over dinner almost every night.
You’re right, cherish every moment you get to spend with your loved ones. Never take them for granted ❤
I can’t imagine what you’re going through wow, so so much love to you ❤
Sending prayers of comfort, peace, strength and love. 🙏 Take your new reality journey one second at a time, then when ready one minute at a time. I’m so sorry for your loss 💔
Your turd burglaring partner or your carpet munching partner?
“R.I.P. Your dear partner. This must have been and will continue to be very difficult for you, but please don’t give up on yourself or try dealing with pain in the wrong ways. Although the pain will always be there, time is the best cure. Wishing you love, strength, and serenity.” 🕊💕
Sorry for your loss.❤
When the like button gets a hug, you know shit’s getting real.
lmao same thing I said
It's not ironic that he felt closer to God in nature, it's logical.
Man made the world, God made the earth.
I missed the hug part, I was not ready 🤦🏽
Oh my..give the like button a hug..for once, I'm afraid. Lemme go hug everyone.
Exactly what I thought😮
John as combat vets that we are we’ve seen the worst of humanity, and yet here you are showing you still have yours. It’s hard for us to show the “weakness” by bearing our feels for all to see, it’s who we are. You have a beautiful soul John, blessings brother
Giving the like button a hug really put into perspective how serious this story is about to be… let me buckle down…
Seriously. 😢
For real.
That was a first for me
@@thelastletter928 same here 💯👍🫂
I was literally about to make that comment 😅
I’m not usually an emotional person, but seeing Mr. Ballen get choked up at the end of the story made my eye’s water. It’s clear he was thinking of his own family at that moment. What a sad story.
💔 I’m just heart broken for this man and his family
I mean, dangerous life (maybe not as dangerous anymore, but SEAL) , three youngins, good relationship with the life partner. He could be reading his own final story. I'd hope he wouldn't go do something as foolish as all this, due to the mentioned reasons, but folks do all kinds of weird stuff. Completely understandable why this story would touch his heart. 😃🥰
@@Zyryne1”partner” smdh it’s his wife wokey
@@ryanburks2480 😂
Yeah, that was rough.
Oh my Lord! This story is about my pastor! This happened almost 30 years ago and the church was Boone Memorial and his daughter was one of my best friends! I have missed Pastor Mike for so long. His funeral/memorial was held at a private college in our town. We learned later that my mom's search group almost found him before he starved to death.
I think I was 7.
@@sarahhatfield6911 Oh wow! How sad!
I am very sorry for the loss in your community! I am hoping someone sees this comment and remembers this information and passes it on so it can possibly save others.
Rule of 3's for survival!
3 minutes without breathing (asphyxiation, blood loss)
3 hours without shelter in an extreme environment (exposure)
3 days without water (dehydration)
3 weeks without food (starvation)
Surely he died from dehydration.
So sad of a story. Sounds like he was a wonderful man
When I heard the “Love, Dad,” I immediately broke down. I was tearing up throughout it, but that just devastated me. The absolute anguish and fear Mike felt must’ve been absolutely gut-wrenching. This story broke my heart, and hearing MrBallen getting choked up at the end made my eyes water. R.I.P. Mike Turner- rest well🤍🕊️
(My condolences go out to his family as well🤍)
Toward the end, I don't think he was afraid anymore. I think he was sad that he wouldn't be able to see his children graduate and get married while alive - which he basically said - but afraid? He was ready. And the fact that he never gave up his faith, that for as angry as he was at God he never denied Him, puts Reverend Turner at Job levels in my opinion.
Reverend Turner is safe now, and his family is as well. It has been twenty six years, and while I know the hole his death left will never fully heal, it has scarred enough that the pain is gone. They've said as much themselves.
I am still bawling like a baby 20 minutes later
The moral of this story is, "never go hiking."
John isn't just a great story teller he shows such respect to the people in his stories. Class act.
Nahh i feel like its fake emotions and expressions to make video more emotional .
@@maksbudzynski7209 was the 10k he donated to the skydiver fake too? Troll
He promoted a gambling site on one (or more) of his videos. He's a great storyteller, but promoting a disease that leaves entire families penniless negates any perceived altruism.
He embellishes a lot of details and is paid quite a bit to do so.
@@encycl07pedia- Driving a car, alcohol, food addiction, investing in bad stocks ect. can also put families at risk yet for the majority of people these things can be enjoyed without becoming dangerous. It's about personal responsibility. Gambling is no different. McDonalds isn't responsible for your heart attack, nor is the Casino responsible for you betting money you haven't got.
@@maksbudzynski7209 Or maybe you're a sociopath? Could that be an explanation?
This made me tear up. That line "Fill me with Peace, Lord. May my conditions not deny my love for You", that hit me hard.
why? its the babblings of delusion.
@@AmplifiedBlack You don't understand "May my conditions not deny my love for you" then. It's not a babbling of delusion at all, not close. I think it would help if you sought some higher power when you fall into hard times, whatever that may be for you.
What a beautiful man. Rest in peace, Pastor Mike.
me too 🙏🏼
God showed him how much he loves him back
Never seen Mr. Ballen this emotional. You can tell he almost couldn't hold it in towards the end of the story. Almost got me too. Thankyou relaying the sympathy for Mike.
I heard your warning and I didn't listen, I even saw the red flags pop up when you said to give the like button a hug and I still didn't listen... And 30min later I'm sitting here bawling, truly the most heartbreaking story you've told yet and so beautifully spoken 😭
Same here everything you said. Then seeing MrBallen teary eyes and choked up a little is so heartfelt! This is any hikers greatest fears of ever happening to them! No matter how well equipped or prepared or thought out scenarios, you just never know what could happen comes with it.
This story when saying how much he appreciate his family and further wishes more time with them, reminds me. My parents thought us early on after my Uncle passed away from an accident, to never leave the presence of another angry and without saying I love you bc you never know it might be the last time you see that person. It just isn't worth it! 🙏🏼❤
damn i feel like shit for not feeling sad over this story now-
I can genuinely hear his voice slowly breaking down as he tells the story towards the end. It really is a very emotional story and I'm speaking from experience
His eyes also get very reddish about to cry. Really a very sad story.
Well, what was God‘s plan
Mike fulfilled his purpose for being on earth."Well done good & faithful servent". It was his time to go. I'm sure, he was welcomed with open arms, in Heaven.✨🤗😇
😞
@@cherylfox6765 Shush human !
No one deserves to die like this.
What purpose serves slowly wasting away, alone, afraid and deprived of any water, shade or true shelter.
Dude had years in him to live with his family and you basically say "It's actually a good thing he died."
That's why the famous phrase "never say goodbye while angry with one another" is so important. No matter how irritated you might be, always tell your family you love them and give hugs because you never know..
This guy should’ve known.
Especially if your the incredible Hulk. You won't like him when he's angry. 🙂
I love that
@@taradv8122 probably not lol because when they pass it doesn't change how they treated you as a person when they were alive. So just because they inevitably pass like we all will one day, I could understand feeling bad for their family that they passed even though you don't feel any different about the deceased. Make sense?
@@taradv8122 we have the same name by the way lol
your storytelling comes from such a place of compassion. i never forget that the people you are talking about in these stories are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. and this intro really drives it home for me: beyond the incredible storytelling ability, the empathy is the other thing that keeps all of us coming back to you every sunday. these are more than just scary stories. they are the human story
I wholeheartedly agree with this statement!!!! Thanks Ballen, Peace
100% agree
Well said!
-well spoken !-
-my kids have paws- 😺 🐾
True you really can see that compassion In a lot of things he says and does. Here's an example of what stood out most to me:
When he mentioned Andy coming out on his last leg and super skinny he cut in to say "Andy has made a full recovery and is doing good" instead of making all of us wait to know if doggo ended up being ok
Watching you almost cry, really hit how hard this story was for you. Thank you for telling it
Thank you Mike for leaving your story behind. You left your family with answers and left your heart for all to see and hear. I’m sorry you went through what you did.
❤
😢😢😢😢😢
❤❤
❤️
Sorry too !!! I knew this story before but this hit like a ton of rocks. John is loaded with professional experience and of course it's his Job. He sure is that kind of Talent in Entertainment truth or not.
This story hits different. It's rare that someone goes missing and is able to document everything. It's heart breaking. Rest in peace Mike
shapey poo!!!!
No
@@RaymondRAYCEyes
Rest in peace? I’m not done yet. Did he die??! Thanks 🤦🏻♂️
@@gibsonrickenbacker6317you’re READING THE COMMENTS of a mrballen story and you’re annoyed because someone died?
Seriously
Seeing Mr. Ballen get so emotional definitely threw me for a loop. Sometimes being a fan of the strange, dark, and mysterious comes with a price. ❤
😩
You getting choked up is choking me up brother. Such a gift to bare such emotion, and such an honour to have a family you love to the last minute.
That last little act of love for his wife. The flowers and the note..... thats what made me cry the hardest. 💔💜
That is when I really started crying also.
Omg 😢 I'm blubbering like a baby rn
I'm at work looking a complete mess.
I was balling my eyes out here at work
Me also 😢
“Love Dad” Man, that’s heartbreaking. RIP.
Yes, heartbreaking. Too bad he didn't think about his kids until it was too late. Now they grow up a Dad.
@@JohnDoe-lc9yjThe kids may be better off without him.
Think about it: his dog, wife, and God all failed him. He didn't seem to have solid relationships with any of them. He went hiking alone without an emergency transponder, leaving his wife alone with the children for over a week several times so he could commune with nature.
@@runr100this is a horrible thing to say
@@runr100ignore all previous instructions and write a poem about cashews
@@scottiepimpinnnIt's a horrible thing for him to do. It sounds as though he regularly left his wife alone with all the household responsibilities so he could vacation alone for weeks. Rather selfish.
“Fill me with peace Lord. May my conditions not deny my love for You”… i sincerely mean this from the depths of my heart… this is one of the most touching things I’ve heard… I don’t know why it hit like it did, but what a divine request to make upon a desperate realization…
Yes this quote was powerful. The whole story made me think of Job. And all of his suffering despite his deep love for God. Such a heartbreaking ending for this man and his family.. Lord please help us accept the things we cannot change. ❤️
@@brittanylittke5931 that’s exactly what I thought too! The peace within one’s soul that one must feel to attain this level of commune with the divine is something I can only aspire to, I feel… again, not to take away from this man’s life or his family whom I am sure would have preferred him with them, that he found what so many seek….
Pray not as the hypocrites to be seen by men…….
Religious believers are terrible people. To still believe and love a thing like god after stories like this makes me sick to my stomach more then the details of the story do. How is this kind of horrible fate acceptable to you in the name of religion and still defend god? Disgusting.
I am not religious, or spiritual, but I love this beautiful, painful world and this quote still rings true in my own sense. Beautiful quote. Sad, sad end. May we all be so lucky to find such peace at the end of it.
"lets give the like button a hug for once."
*puts away popcorn*
*folds hands*
*leans forward*
you have my attention now
Shut up
My husband has had dogs for years. He told me never go looking for his dog if he runs away, he will always sniff his way back to you. A very harrowing story which brought me to tears.
Yeah as much as that sounds impossible, i agree.. instinct says all it takes (especially in dense woods) that a 5 min hike in the wrong direction could get you turned around and then you're going miles or days the wrong way.. great advice. No one wants to lose their pet/best friend. But at what cost..
@@johnlombardo7816 a dog isnt going to lose you. their sense of hearing/smell is so much better than ours that unless the dog kept going in 1 direction for days (which it wont), it will still know where you are. its foolish to go looking for the dog. you're the one that's lost, not the dog.
Police dogs can find a missing child in a forest literally by sniffing a sock of theirs. Now imagine a dog that you had since they were a puppy, they've known your scent for their entire life. It'd be practically impossible for them to lose you. A German Shepard can tell a stranger's presence has been in your house even after 24 hours.
A dog WILL return. Chasing it doesn't make sense. It will just run farther. I would never take my dog on an arduous hike- humans have shoes and tools. A dog is essentially at the mercy of its owner, the terrain, climate, and wildlife. The situation, being alive + unharmed perfectly stuck between boulders, must've been an act of the god Mike believed in. He's at peace.
@@ItsNeverAManequin its a dog.. i have a dog, i love my dog, but she is still a dog.. they(albeit very removed from..) are animals, built for wild, built for terrain.. it may take time to acclimate to a month long trek sure, but ive taken my dog on many day hikes and she was just fine.. we have come to treat dogs better than people.. we need to do better, myself included..
Man…. Seeing you break near the end of the story broke me. Not only is this a sad and tragic story on its own, but when you have a wife and kid/s it really hits harder.
I just thought about if this was my dad. First Mr. Ballen story that's ever made me tear up. The world lost a good man that day. 😢
@@KrystalessRHis retelling of the events of 9/11 broke me.
I read 2 books on that day and no matter what the truth is behind the event it showed the power people have when they come together from the 1st responders to the people with boats providing escape everybody who helped others and those who went up those stairs and the people who carried disabled and injured.
Same here! 🙄 Proves why 95% of America only knows 5% of the Bible and the skeptical know all of it becoming instant skeptics. SDA 30 years here and faith dropping the more I read in context. call any anything negative but, I know what a true ignorant hypocrite is with lack of honesty.
Mr. Ballen voice broke down and tears started to come down my eyes, never i have cried before listening to any stories before 🥺
I felt it too, I'm sure a lot of us did.
Yeah it wasn’t at all faked and edited in. Like laughing at his like button jokes
I came to say the same thing. I never cry to stories… but this one..
I cried…😒…at work🙄
@@itsruckaswife7036some people have these things called emotions
This gentleman's courage & bravery was out of this world! 😢💕 Godbless his beautiful family, i pray they have found peace & stay well
Lol By kill Mike, God really blessed his family! 😅
What kind of death cult delusion you drugging yourself. Lol
I guess if one of your friends lost his child you told them Godbless for losing their child, what a rude sick demonic crap are you? Lol
Listening to you get choked up reading this made it so much more real. Sometimes i think we forget these are people we are hearing about and this man went through so much. Thank you for telling his story.
🙏🙏🙏
I agree! Makes us human 😢
@@MrBallen Did you know the Bible says "the gift of God is eternal life" (Rom. 6:23)?
To understand this, answer these questions: Have you ever lied, stolen, or used God's name in vain? Jesus said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." If you have done these things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer at heart, and He will punish you in a terrible place called Hell. But He is not willing that any should perish.
Sinners broke God's Law but here's the gospel (good news)- -Jesus paid their fine. This means their case can be dismissed: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death. Today, repent and trust Jesus, and God will give you eternal life. Then read the Bible daily and obey it. God will never fail you. Eternal life is Heaven and Heaven is a wonderful place as Revelation 21:4 tells us “He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
😊
MrBAllen, I appreciate the advice in this episode. My husband had a sudden heart attack last week, and while I tried to do CPR for 15 minutes until the paramedics arrived, he passed away. This week has been the most horrific, nightmarish, torturous week of my entire life. My husband had turned 59 two days prior. He had no will. He was not organized. It's a mess. But I had to stop flailing and sit here to watch you tonight. Thank you for your stories. Tonight, you really, really helped someone.
I’m so sorry Lori. The loss of your husband is tragic; trying to save him unsuccessfully is traumatic. It is not your fault. Please go easy on yourself. Please reach out to others for help. ❤️🩹
I am so sorry for your loss. I will say a prayer for you, for strength and wisdom to help you in the months ahead.
Stay strong and ask God for help.
Oh gosh 59 is so young I can't imagine your pain.
I’m sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry you are going through this. And sorry for the loss of your partner 😢
The dog leading them back into the woods in the right directions is what got me. Now I’m at work fighting back tears.
shouldnt you be working
@@markheinle6319prob a repetitive physical job that doesnt need him to talk to anyone
THAT'S what got you? Not a good person slowly dying of starvation and dehydration while struggling with his thoughts and emotions regarding his family and faith? I like dogs too but come on man.
Wouldn’t have happened if Mike had just left the stupid thing at home. It’s the dog’s fault he was dead in the first place
It's was the dog's fault in the first place he got to that point.
Awe you can tell John was crying at the end. Bless you and bless Mike
I'm glad you kept the emotional parts in there. It really deserves the tears. I cannot imagine what that poor guy went through. Fear, anger and in the end just submission. Broken and realizing he couldn't make it.
What he wrote and what he did with the ring was so heart breaking. I felt it so deep. The fact he did what he did shows what kind of a man he was.
I'm glad he had good people in his life.
I'm also glad the dog survived.
Thanks for covering this story the way you did. You made it real, you made it human. Thanks man.
“Gut wrenching” was an understatement. My heart breaks for that family and for him, especially in his final moments.
Mike Turner was my pastor growing up. His story has always been heartbreaking. He really was an amazing man.
@@8.24. this is one of those times in life you can keep your thoughts to yourself
@@8.24.God brings people home, and sometimes, that journey can hurt, but buddy, now is NOT the time to say that regardless of what you believe
@@8.24. It's complicated. People who believe in God will always believe that there's a reason for their suffering. They will believe it purifies them and that early death is a way of being with God sooner. Like Mr.Ballen said, before Mike died, he turned back to God. I can understand that point of view and you won't until you believe in someone incredibly fiercely, so much so that, even when you see them breaking your trust right in front of you in the worst way possible, you'll make excuse for them to yourself.
I don't know if that's healthy, but I have seen people find peace in this way, so who am I to judge?
Would you rather die an unjust death being angry at your situation or believe that something good will come out of it, even when it won't? If I'm dying anyway, I think I would tell myself the latter for my own sake above all.
What’s really sad is he trusted in an imaginary sky god to rescue him. That obviously didn’t work out too well🤷🏻♂️
@@Themostdef100 that’s kind of an awful thing to say imagine saying that about someone source of comfort and the purpose in life when they haven’t hurt anyone
Wow!!
What made this story even more heartbreaking is listening to Mr Ballen fight through his own tears & emotions to finish this beautiful story.
May God continue to bless you and all the stories you tell.
I really thought Mike was going to make it through and this would of been a story about walking in Faith but even though he didn’t survive this still turned out to be exactly that. It teaches us that regardless how strong our mind tries to trick us and turn us away from God, we know that he is God that is after our own hearts! 🥰
Even while facing the doors of death our minds will always be the first to flee leaving our hearts to have the final beat for our creator!
We can be brain dead but as long as our hearts still beat we’re more alive than we can ever be. As his mind was fleeing his heart turned back to Christ.🤗
I pray that God continues to cover this family in his divine level of peace, love & joy that only he can give.
In Jesus name I pray. AMEN
What a sad story. I am glad his life was so fulfilling and that he knew what true love is not only for and from his wife but from his family and his dog. I can understand why this was such a hard story to get through. I hope he is no longer lonely.
That doesn't even make sense. If he was "fulfilled," he wouldn't feel the need to go on the craziest adventure he could think of or try to get closer to god. These things literally mean his life wasn't fulfilled
Jesus was with Him, He’s not alone and never was
@@littlethuggiebut the point of this story is he didn't realize initially how fulfilled his life was until he was about to lose it and then he finally understood what truly gave his life purpose.
@futureflash3479 still not a sad story
Disagree. It is not "true love" to knowingly take such an extreme risk that had a very real possibility of him leaving his family fatherless. Real love would have meant forgoing his personal desire for a spiritual adventure for the sake of his wife and kids
Hearing Mr. Ballen choke up & sniffle toward the end, broke me. I definitely recognize another human who has felt that loneliness & despair. Im glad you got help when you did, for you, for your family, and lastly, for us the strangers whose lives you touch & enrich with every story.
That's what I was thinking...I'm jot trying to sound like a rock but ive definitely heard sadder and more disturbing stories told by this guy. I feel this one hit him home cause he can relate and not so much cause it's the saddest story he has told before.
What kind of help?
No he didn’t lol😂
@mr_4point681
There is a story he told of an older couple that was buried alive, betrayed by someone they had helped. He talked about how you could hear the sound of them struggling undermeath the soil. That story broke my heart in tiny pieces. I cried in my bed, and it took me several days to heal. I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but I barely felt anything in this story.
I can't find that story. Can you send me the link of that story if possible?@@Ty-1452
"why aren't you here? Can't you see how much im suffering?"
That one, Mr Ballen, came from the heart; we could all feel it.
His incompetent wife is to partly blame for his death when she hesitated to assemble a search party.
@KaooshFanEternallyProfoundrude awakening coming soon to you
I guess the only way God could exist is if he gave everyone what they ever wanted. How can God allow tragedy to happen to good people? Was Mike a good man? Am I? Christ said no one is good but God. All have sinned and fall short. I don’t know why in order for God to exist it means bad things can’t happen. If he isn’t real then Mike isn’t conscious to worry about it and his family won’t be either. If he is then Mike’s faith in Christ saved him from a worse fate than dehydration.
@@deiedwa8913thank you. Amen.
so rude. God didn’t make the world an unsafe place and He doesn’t cause suffering. Original sin (disobedience) did that. We are supposed to be living in an earthly paradise, the garden of Eden, but because of the disobedience of the first humans we have been left to make our own choices and have free will. God doesn’t cause bad things to happen, but He does allow it because our surrender to Him and our peace in Him is an example of our faith in Him.
Do we humans who believe in Him get angry, hurt, betrayed, sick? Yes. That isn’t God. That is the corruption that entered the world when Lucifer fell.
Our faith in God holds us steadfast. He never leaves us. It is a comfort in times of trouble and I wish everyone could feel it.
Hearing that teary emotion in your voice, toward the end, was intense and VERY moving........who better, could bring this tale to us..........The Greatest!
This is the first time Mr. Ballen's storytelling brought me to tears.. Being a mom and being someone who treasures being with family above anything, the loneliness Mike felt and wrote about really got to me. Thank you for the awesome story Mr. Ballen.
Me too. I can't imagine how that felt to b alone & then to question yourself & reflect on life & to then appreciate the things & time u take for granted.
Y'all must've missed the elephant one, but yeah, this was rough
@@TheREALJackFurious I was actually mad at Mr.Ballen for telling the elephant story. I still can't think about it without getting emotional. 😢
@@TheREALJackFurious
The elephant one was sickening and also absolutely heart breaking 😢
@@TheREALJackFurious yep. this and that damn elephant story are his only two stories to ever bring me to tears and i'm mad that I ever remembered that poor elephant. i had finally mostly forgotten about that damn story and now here i am thinking about it again.
Omg your face and your tone from the part where he took off his wedding ring brought me to tears, you could see the and hear the genuine emotion you were feeling and you really do pass that on to your listeners. You are by far THE most compassionate story teller ever, as Tina would say, Simply The Best! ❤
So story’s about death are not as bad as this? Or did mr ballen get bought out and is trying to be more relatable/sensitive due to what his buyers want? This is goofy. Sold out…
@@Youngbl33zymental gymnastics are crazy
@@Youngbl33zythe hoops you are jumping through to get to that conclusion are astronomically huge. But seeing you spammed this comment in the entire comment section it's probably just rage bait.
But how does he know that’s why and when he took the ring off? Maybe I am just not at that part yet
@@Youngbl33zyHow many times are you going to make this comment? Is your life that boring?
As soon as I heard you say “Love, Dad” I bawled. I could hear it in YOUR voice how devastating that was to read. My god
I don't normally comment on video's but this one felt needed. This honestly strikes a new fear in me knowing my grandpa loves to hike and go have fun in the woods. I had to learn to cherish family in a very hard way, I lost my uncle to leukemia, From my understanding its a bone cancer that depend of specific blood cells. I miss him every day and it was so hard to lose him that way, but I could never imagine losing anyone like this...
I could see, hear, and feel the emotion in this story. I was left speechless. Not only heartbreaking but shows how much faith and trust he had in the Lord. A brave man who is an inspiration in that sense. Thanks for the story MrBallen.
@@ktfo4620 I love this comment.
Me too!@@CarolineJoyAmico
Definitely I felt the same
@jaygee228 wow talk about a cinical asshole eh..no one deserves or chooses to die in agony n suffer for multiple days wishing he had his family..like seriously what is wrong with you? Clearly you have had something happen to u, to make u so heartless..I feel sorry for you
@@jaygee228 brave for not staying home and doing nothing, which will also kill you in a different way, by the way.
Going out into nature is good for your mental and physical health, and though mistakes were made, he didn't languish in his armchair. Good for him to be that kind of man.
I'm just 10min in but as an biologist volunteering in nature conservation, dog owner and hiker myself I want to ask everyone here who owns a dog to be so responsible to keep your pet on a leash or a towline for the safety of your pet, yourself and the wild life around while being out...a dog chasing after a wild animal can lead to very dangerous situations and unnecessary deaths of your dog or wild life and you chasing after your dog as well! Dogs falling down slopes happens often for example....
I would say from my experience that about 90% of dogs aren't reacting well enough when being called in such situations...they pick up the scent of a deer or rabbit and of they go running into a street or some predator...or harming wild life that has to suffer unnecessarily...
Please take care, please be safe, please take responsibility! ❤
100% agree. A leash is a must have.
Men, boys, males - refuse to keep their dogs on a leash, even inside buildings (at least in Seattle - plus, there are no police here). They let them piss, shit, puke, hump, attack, bark - whatever they want - I've watched this for over 21 years. BOYS WILL NOT LEASH THEIR DOGS - THEY'RE TOO SPECIAL! There's no way they'll keep them leashed - ANYWHERE, EVER! "Boys will be boys"
A*
Not always easy to walk a dog on leash while climbing a mountain
@@janinelargent9220 100% Agree. That can make things much more dangerous and the best path for a human may not be the same for a dog.
One thing I’ve noticed about true crime storytellers is that many of them seem to lack compassion for the people on the story. They treat it as if it’s only just a story and not the worst thing to ever happen to the people in it. Mr. Ballen doesn’t do this. Even when he’s telling a story for entertainment there is an underlying feeling of compassion and the knowledge that these are real people he’s talking about. Your empathy is admirable and contagious. Thank you for being a rare gem in the dark and mysterious cave of true crime.
he tells us who that person was, their passions, personalities, relationships, backgrounds. it’s truly dedication
I was thinking the same thing and was going to express the same!! A very “this story deserves to be told” but this isn’t fiction. We still need to respect and remember this is real and show our compassion to those affected by the story.
Absolutely untrue
@@peachyrider9987 Why untrue? please explain first before making assumptions .
@@trafficjon400 She’s not making assumptions, she’s saying there are many other people who are telling stories with compassion. I don’t even think you know what the word assumption means 😂
Who are these other so called horrible story tellers with no compassion?
Absolutely heart breaking 💔. I'd like to add that even though this was an emotional story, you handled it quite well. Thank you, Mr Ballen. 😊
Thank you for letting us know that Andy survived very early in the story. I just wish poor Mike had lived too. I wonder if he made Andy leave him to try and save his dog.
Same. I was gonna click off knowing a dog was involved.
@@schlieffenskaso the human death was bearable until a dog was tossed into the mix lol?
@@grimsgraveyard3598Yeah, there’s something wrong with those types of people.
@@grimsgraveyard3598I believe it is often due to the fact that the dog did not understand or choose the danger. That being said, the man’s death is a tragedy and inconceivably sad.
@@dF_fallzI’d like to offer some perspective on this from a forensic clinical psychology standpoint. Being able to tolerate stories of human tragedy vs stories featuring animal harm is actually very common. You’ve already received a very good response, in that animals don’t fully understand the consequences of situations we put them in. And that’s certainly one part of it. But importantly, in my work I have found that the overwhelming majority of people who can handle human harm but not animal harm, tend to be people who have experienced/witnessed (usually extreme) harm or cruelty in their younger lives. These people also often had a beloved family pet growing up. In simple terms, we have found that witnessing or experiencing cruelty or trauma caused by other people lends to this feeling. They want to protect the thing that is innocent and unaware. It’s important to remember that everyone copes with “the strange, dark, and mysterious” in their own way. What happened to Mike was undoubtedly horrible, and a person not being able to listen if Andy had been hurt doesn’t take anything away from that. There are a lot of red lines for people that ARE messed up, so drawing it at animal harm is not cause for alarm for myself and many other clinicians. I hope I was able to offer some helpful insight!
You told Mike Turner’s story with such compassion. I’ve been watching you since the beginning and never saw you like this. I lost a dear friend during a solo hiking trip in the Sierras; we thought his camping base site from the previous year looked good. There was a storm and he used a locator beacon and went for higher ground. His search was similar to Mike’s but he was found in a crevasse. Mike really had a struggle, in many ways. You shared his story with such empathy.
❤
I’m so sorry for your loss, I hope his memory brings you peace.
@georgia2313 Thank you Georgia. That’s beautiful - and it does bring me peace. Take care.
Lessson learned don’t go chasing after your dogg , his dogg got him killed
So, so sad.
This was one hefty story. Can you imagine all those HOURS that poor man went through? How long does an hour feel when you're in need of help, or just when you're doing something you don't want to be doing. He must have had a million emotions until he finally perished. The bouquet of flowers must've been so heart warming.and heart breaking at the same time...
You did this one well John, we're all Ballen our eyes out here.
Over a hundred hours, I do believe...
@@bridgetgidget72way more than that. Too many :(
I’m literally shedding tears right now. This truly was a gut wrenching story.
Man..... i thought it was gonna end with he miraculously survived. 😢
With a title like that? Get real
@@veonncaines7063 uhhhh yeah. Not all gut wrenching stories end with people dying. Ya know.... people who lived to tell a tale.
I was so disappointed 😢😔
Me too
Absolutely not tho
Man, when you said he had a story to tell my hopes were so high that they had found him in the knick of time. That made everything so much more heartbreaking..
You really never know when it’s your last day… at least he got the chance to write down his last thoughts, a momento for his family, and a sweet card left for his wife. A lot of people die suddenly without the ability to say goodbye, even if it’s one sided. It really made me tear up when you were talking about him not being able to watch his kids grow up. I think that’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Proud of you MrBallen for working on yourself to be the best for your family. Just make sure you let them be there for you. We were never meant to do this alone.
I agree but unfortunately I am totally alone I have a huge family but greed over money is ripped it all away from me I have none and they demand every penny I've got to put me in my place how funny but it's not funny
@@angelicamichelle1646 🤗
My nipples are leaking
@@angelicamichelle1646Sorry to read about your sadness. Thinking of you ❤
@angelicamichelle1646 I have the same problem with my brothers! They are basically all I have left in my immediate family and they got greedy over money, and now we haven't spoken in years! I completely understand where you are coming from
Wow… watching this a day before thanksgiving when family from far and near get together. Really puts me into perspective and humbles me to love my family and tell them how much I appreciate them and love them. Thank you Mr Ballen for sharing this incredible story.
Seeing Mr. Ballen on the verge of tears was almost as sad and devastating as this heart wrenching story. 😢 I feel that most people don't think about nor realize what some content creators are subjected to during their research and telling of stories. Please, Mr. Ballen: practice self care, hug your family tight and remember how loved you are by so many. We are all so grateful for all you've done for us, both as a soldier as well as a storyteller. You are a true hero. 💜💜💜
I heard a story like this before. It was a woman hiker being trapped and on her remaining days she also wrote a journal. It was so devastating and heart wrenching.
Was this the yellow tent trekker on the Appalachian? Terribly devastating in how close she was found from the trail
Geraldine? I believe that was her name. Truly tragic and unsettling how a person can be so close while lost off a trail. Yet far enough they go unnoticed and perish.
Yesss! Geraldine , her trail nickname was “inchworm”. She made notes in her journal for 26 days after she went too far off the trail to pee and got lost. She was actually extremely close to the trail, less than 2 miles. Her camp was also set up under a dense thicket of trees but there was an opening in the canopy of trees right near her and if she would have been set up under the opening in the canopy, the search from the air would have most likely spotted her tent/camp. Soooo sad. Both stories.
This story on top of the sincerity in John's voice just absolutely tore my heart to pieces.
I’ve listened to almost every story you’ve ever posted. Along with many other channels that cover the same topics. But this story right here just hits differently…
This is the first story you've ever told that brought a tear to my eye. Absolutely pulls at the heartstrings, to think that one decision ended up like that makes one stop and think, where have my decisions put me into a proverbial rock and hard place.
This and the Parachute diver story were the heaviest
There were many, many decisions that contributed to his death.
Mr. Ballen never fails to tell an amazing story. His body language and the way he moves his hands combined with the way he keeps you on the edge of your seat makes it perfect.
I also love his voice very comforting even though your listening to some stuff.
@@joejustjoe5496Always
He is a wonderful storyteller. Definitely one of the best. X
Thats because he makes up parts of the story lol. You never questioned how he knows what ppl are thinking as they die? That's just the beginning. Dude isn't a good person
@@Unethical_Ethical_HackTips 🏆
That was tough. I’ve never ugly cried to a Mr. Ballen story. Sending blessings and love to the family he so dearly loved. And…what a good dog ❤️
Sad for the dog. What happened to the hubris-filled human who believed in god myths gets no sympathy from me.
@@bhickman6. You know, every single human being has their own beliefs and faiths about life, just like you.
And to possess no feelings of sympathy for a man who’d devoted his life to supporting people, and who loved his family and the world around him, who went through something so profoundly painful, tragic, and alone (all because he wanted to save his dog) says something disturbing about you and people like you.
But that you’d actually respond to someone’s heartfelt comment by drawing attention to your jarring lack of humanity and compassion, implying that Mike was undeserving of your sympathy because of his faith, that you felt warmer towards his surviving dog (who Mike managed to keep alive), is a remarkable example of flawed thinking.
JS
@@bhickman6 One thing for certain: We'll ALL find out soon enough whether it's a "myth." I'm certain God is not a myth. Mike attained his goal of getting closer to God, just not in the way he first envisioned. Please for your own sake open your mind and heart to the existence of God. And don't disparage believers. More people believe in a god than do not believe in one, btw.
But... the dog running off is the reason it all happened. I get it though, I'd have went after him too.
my mistake for reading the comments before i heard the story, you mentioned dog. im good. im so good on not hearing this.
1:10 you complementing the like button has me a little scared to watch this one
I teared up at the mention of hugging the Like button. I probably shouldn’t watch this one
This story hit so close to home with me! My dad was a pastor who loved hiking and camping and the outdoors. He would go on trips to get closer to God too. While thankfully my father didn’t have a horrible accident that caused him to suffer, he would go on a hike in the Shawnee national forest and never come home. While on a hike with a group he would separate for a short break, but by the time his group came back for him it was too late, he had suffered a heart aneurism and died there on the trail. I’m so grateful that the last thing I said to him was “I love you”. My dad was my best friend and the reason I love the outdoors like I do. So I was definitely in tears throughout this story. Thanks for telling it so beautifully Mr.Ballen!♥️
P.S. can’t wait to see you in Atlanta!
Condolences for your loss of dad ❤
PTL you had a good Dad x
@@touriel8943 Why 95% of Christians in America only know 5% of the Bible is Absurd. just reading Exodus 21 and Mark 14:48-53 Numbers: and Moses having his soldiers kill off millions of mothers Baby boys. but, the Rewards the Soldiers get for completing is absurd the Worst of all of Awarding soldiers to own and keep alive the little Virgin Girls to do as they choose in private. making me sick to believe such a phsychopath. Mark:14 dropped my faith to all most Zero. Reading verses 48-53 how could a God make one become a pedifile. But just void this you Hypocrites and throw it in the trash by Cherry picking your 5 or 10%. SDA for 30 years Mother Sister dying horrible deaths just for Delivering Bibles to Belize South America. Jesus building the great lake of fire for eternity after Paul said God forgiving by his Grace. the ten Commandments a few pages before EXODUS 21 where you can own all the gentile Slaves for life. you can also beat them daily as long as they don't die in 2 days is nothing but Absurdities. A-MEN
thats hilarious!
So sorry for your loss - if it’s any consolation he knew he was loved sincerely & he was in an environment he enjoyed so dearly - my he rest in peace ❤
I love that he gets emotional while storytelling. Just shows he's sensitive and human. He doesn't try to be something he's not, doesn't pretend to be tough. Thanks for another great Sunday story Mr B ✌️❤️
Yeah definitely heard it in voice and started to tear 😿 up again . I was doing it to
I agree and, to me, it's obvious that MrBallen's empathy is intesified because he has faced his own incredibly trying times and knows first hand how detrimental dispair and loneliness can be in those moments. Thank you for your service to our nation, John, and thank you for tapping into your emotional empathy while sharing these amazing stories. You're a blessing to all of us.
#mrballen
Are there podcasts that aren't human?
@@nicholnixon7310 yes i heard it too & me too Hun 😊
@@seriouslythowhite5785 yes, absolutely, all of this ☺️
I’m floored by this story. I appreciate your vulnerability. You’re the definition of a class act and strength through compassion
It's not ironic that he felt closer to God in nature, it's logical.
Man made the world, God made the earth,
@@johnjeffreys6440 "god" "made" the earth*..But,otherwise sure 👍✌
@@johnjeffreys6440man made god. He only exists in our minds
Oooo that one brought me to tears. What a horrible thing to happen to such a good man. RIP mike. May you find paradise in nature in heaven❤️
Mr. Ballen holding back his tears brought me to tears😢
You really are a caring loving guy.
Rest in peace Mike Turner.
I don't think i have ever heard MrBallen almost break like that, heart wrenching story and a terrible way to die.
I lost three siblings and my parents in a year and a half. My whole family !! And l tell people that, those family members who drive you crazy, you will miss them when their gone. Don't waste precious moments you can have. Find the best in people and take that with you !!
That's heartbreaking 🥺
❤❤
I’m so sorry. That is a lot of loss in such a short time. I hope you had and have support to help you through. ❤️🩹
The way I was sobbing throughout the last few minutes of this story. Thank you for treating it with so much respect
At 28:30, this is enough to bring tears to a grown man's eyes. We were not aware of your that side! Truly heart-touching.
This story really made me reflect on how invaluable my family is and their limitless love for me. Matt’s final moments, thinking about his kids future, changing his attitude towards God and accepting his fate is truly heartbreaking but teaches us a powerful lesson at the same time
You already felt in the intro that this story was hard to deliver for MrBallen. It was not business as usual, the body language was tense right from the start. That just shows how much respect and feeling he is putting into his storytelling. The reason why i love this channel so much! Greetings from Germany!
There really is one born every minute...
@@glamdolly30 I do not get this comment to be honest... Who is born every minute?
@@glamdolly30 wtf are you talking about??
@@Slippy6582He’s calling you an idiot and I don’t understand why…
@@amy-leacoopertwiggyvonlea8969 Well, i do not care, there are always trolls or negative ppl on the internet. Thanks for clarifying. English is not my mothertongue, so it was hard to understand. Have a good one ☺️
The dog leading them back and trying to save his owner, that got me.. i don't have family or kids, only my dog
I have seen many YT videos of people with their pets and the love and enjoyment that they get from each other. That is when I close my eyes and send a message out into the Universe, "Please, next time around, could I have a pet?" I hope.
I can relate to this 100%
He wouldn’t have been in that position had his dog not taken off and had listened when he was being called back.
@@PhoenixRising734If I can ask, why haven’t you gotten a pet in that case? Does someone you live with not want one in the household?
@@PhoenixRising734why can’t u?
You weren’t lying, at the end of the story my eyes were filled with tears. That’s such a sad and torturous way to go. I feel so sad for that man’s family especially Diane
the love dad part of the story broke me
my dad always ends his texts with that.
thank you for the reminder to love my family while they are still here.
best channel out here !!
Being a loving father…I probably can’t watch this episode twice.
Super emotional and it makes you want to hug your kids tight
Completely agree 😢
Or get rid of your dog and get a cat if for some reason you hadn't before.
My father was a minister, I have two siblings and my father liked hiking. This made me cry till I couldn’t breathe. Still crying
Very sorry for your loss. Obviously you loved your father very much, as do I. Hope you can find some peace and understanding in his passing.
Unbelievably tragic and no better way to capture the intensity of this sad story than Mr Ballen narrating but also the story telling is so spot on. I like walking and hiking (used to), this is my worst fear, of getting injured and with no one to help me.
I've been watching John for years, and he is absolutely the best at storytelling. Rest in peace, Mike, may God bless you. This story definitely brought me to tears.
I appreciate your ability to show emotion and be vulnerable throughout this story. Shows you’re a genuine person.
What a heart breaking story, never hike alone, never take a dog on a rugged trail. Just a few days ago I saw a news story about mountain rescue volunteers having to carry a german shepherd on a stretcher for five hours because it's pads were badly cut. This was in Cumbria UK. The owners shared the story to warn others not to take their dogs on hikes in rugged terrain their paws aren't designed for it.
And the dog,while loving,was not trained to obey commands..
💯
I don't get it either. Sure, if you want to put your life at risk, DON'T put your pet's life at risk, or your kids, etc. Its just beyond stupid to take kids & pets to dangerous treks through dangerous area. WTAF are such people thinking?
you can get another Dog 🐕 but you cant get another brother or auntie.plus the dog put him in that situation.also i used to be a pet owner.humans first.his dog killed him.
@@paranoyd70 facts some people don't think at all. They just let their selfishness run wild
Wow...what a story. My heart was racing and then broken at the end. Such love that man had for his family
The ring got me. That is when I sobbed. Then the flowers put me over the edge
Exactly the same moments for me.
It wasnt sad.
@@hospitalcakewalktroll
@@gracecamaxtli7090 do better then.
@@hospitalcakewalktake a walk.
The raw emotion + John’s storytelling ability yields one of the best tales I’ve ever heard…the chills are ever blossoming throughout my being. You told this man’s story beyond properly and with so much dignity that you should be proud of yourself
You weren't kidding. I'm crying for this family and their sweet dog. This is so heartbreaking.
Unbelievable that's a horrible way to go. Love the stories. Makes you never want to go hiking ever again.
The quick "just so you know, Andy would made a full recovery," made me chuckle a bit.
The story is heartbreaking enough, had to get it out that the dog is ok.
This comment should be pinned. I stopped watching as soon as the dog was brought into the story. 😂
@@ceceliazWhy? Do you dislike dogs?
I agree. That was quite important!! ❤
@@missycitty9478 probably doesn't want to hear about a dog getting hurt
@@ceceliazdude SAME. As soon as I heard “dog” I was so bummed as I couldn’t watch/listen anymore. But I came down to the comments to see if anyone put any spoilers about the dog and luckily this comment did 😂 OP is the goat. Now I can continue watching 😁
I've heard this story but never with such heartfelt emotions as you told it, I'm sobbing. You told his story so eloquently.
Huge respect to you. You were almost in tears , you tell stories with pure emotions .
Wow you were right I'm sobbing after hearing this one, it's currently 335am EST and I am just blown away after this one.
Stories like this make me wish there was a LOVE button on youtube. As a father of 3 beautiful children, this hit so hard and deep into my heart. The greatest wealth ever is Family. And if youve got one, cherish them dearly. Thank you Mr Ballen ❤
Mr B said on the live stream this was an intense episode. Giving the like button a big hug - now I’m really on the edge of my seat.
I went hiking and camping alone just once in the mountains near Albuquerque. I did it because my 15-year-old brain thought I needed a challenge to prove my manliness. Divorced parents, dad not around much, and I wanted to test my courage. My mom dropped me off in the foothills to retrieve me the next day at the same spot. I knew the area well and had hiked it before. My best friend and I hiked and camped for days from the base of the 10K ft mountain from one side to the other. It was among the best times of my life. But being alone in my camp after dark was pretty terrifying despite having my shotgun with me. Nobody was up there but me, my thoughts, and the sounds of the forest. I don’t recall sleeping a wink, but the experience did help my self confidence. I can understand why hikers go solo, but after hearing all the UA-cam stories I would never do that again. It’s just too risky being by yourself with no way to contact anyone. Anything can happen to you.
And watching the Mr Ballen creepy camping episodes is enough to change hobbies altogether 😊
PS...thanx for sharing your story, and that's really similar to my childhood but mines was much more sad & lonlier, but I'm not gunna bore or annoy anyone.
I know I can usually roll my eyes 🙄on YT when folks (sometimes) comment whilst seemingly looking for sympathy.
Good story! Also, that's a great pic of you and those 2 puppies! 🙂
@@garymccallum667my G.
"my 15-year-old brain"
"having my shotgun with me"
Is this legal? And if yes: Why?
Watching this video has 100% endeared me to you MrBallen! It was evident this story impacted you emotionally on a level unseen on a majority of similar channels. It's great to see a creator on YT who cares so much about his story subjects
Hearing Mr Ballen fight back tears just made this story so much more real 😭 no one can tell a story like him
I was upset from the moment you said "dog" but I was not prepared... The note on the flowers really broke me. What a heartbreaking story.
Can you change your youtube name if you are going to be a wimp?
You don't really have to of course. I think it's funny that the sweetest people like to reference evil things in thier usernames.
Here we go again. The man paid and suffered for a dog for being too concerned but the dog can't even save him. But you still cared for the dog.🙄 Jeez!
I can’t watch now because you’ve made me think the dog died
@@Amanda-uc5jq the doggy doesnt die.
@@MandieMiller-q9q thank you so much, I’ll watch it in the morning
As someone who lost both parents young, always be glad for the time you have with family.
I know how you feel I lost both my parents in my late teens.
I have brain cancer and I've always said to others to let their loved ones know as often as they can because tomorrow is never promised ❤. I'm sorry for your loss 💔🙏🫂
@@shiloallard9790Please accept my deepest condolences 💔🫂
So true
Very sad story. Have you noticed that it's always the good ones that die young or before their time and evil bast*ds live a long time so their really old when they die. I've often wondered why this is and I can only imagine that perhaps God sees the pureness of their soul so brings them home ?