17:23 wild how much they did to save him. Hundreds of people, hundreds of thousands of dollars, hours and hours, lives risked, because he wanted a damn catfish in a closed cave.
I think the fine was 25 000 back then. They increased it to 100 000 and a year in prison, possibly because of this incident. I don't know if these men were punished. I tried to look it up but I couldn't find any original sources from back then, only articles from late 2000s/early 2010s and none of them mention if they were fined
@@exantiuse497 They could have pursued them for the loss of income via lowering the lakes surface but i donno if they did that. Think they thought it might be a bit of a killjoy to spoil such 'miracle'. Would have been much better outcome if the rescuers would have reached David, handed him a fine and left him back in the cave.
One wants to feel sympathy for David, but--making multiple trips into a cave that was legally off limits, and extremely dangerous, to CATCH A FISH? The fish they were looking for, that the rescue team encountered, was probably laughing its gills off. The resources and funds to rescue one damn fool who deliberately defied the law and common sense is mind-boggling and disgraceful. That said, I'm glad he survived and that he DIDN'T get the fish!
What the people who take these risks don't think about is all the volunteers that will have to put their own lives on the line to try to save them. I too am glad he's alive but his selfish decision could have cost more lives than just his own.
I'm so glad David is alive, but I also hope David and his friend got severely punished by the law, because these are the types of men that do illegal stuff that put other men's lives in danger and cost massive amounts of money to the tax payers.
Exactly and that's why there have to be consequences for egotistical moves like this. For a catfish. A fish. You risk the lives of people and the resources of others FOR. A. FISH. @@dxcSOUL
@@dxcSOULThe rescuers are volunteers, true, but the equipment is extremely expensive and definitely not given out free to each rescue team. I was on a search and rescue/recover team in the 90s. My partner constantly tried to get me to be certified in underwater rescue, but that is where I drew the line. I was certified in all kinds of rescue including high angle and trench, but no. If I can't see my hand in front of my face (like where they practiced) I am not jumping in. They truly are the finest.
Me 'O' Man used to say, "We're a funny pack of bastards". "We spend all our time hating on our fellow man, trying to do him harm, even wanting to kill him at times" (see Putin, China/Taiwan, neighbors, even road rage incidents, etc, etc) "and yet, as soon as an emergency happens we all run around, even putting our own lives in danger, just to come to some random strangers rescue"! I fully agree, we are (very weird)!
Well he called it, it really was his last dive. I normally have a degree of sympathy with most the folk you cover but the fact they were disturbing bats and trespassing he sort of had it coming. Amazing as always man
@F. Friedrich Kling Hauss -- They didn't. The articles I read stated that the state had no plans for filing any charges against them... and I can't find any articles to the contrary, saying they were charged at a later date.
@@WarbandGames A lot of these stories are fundamentally about people pursuing risk for their own personal glory, risk that is very selfish if you don't take proper precautions because when you need rescue it puts other people in danger. That's to say, I don't think anybody is just mad about the bats, he was reckless and didn't consider what needing rescue would mean for the people who'd come save him. The bat thing just tips the scales towards him really seeming thoughtless and self absorbed. Definitely deserved to be rescued! But an asshole for needing to be 🤣
Government: This cave is extremely dangerous. Stay out of it so you don't risk pointlessly drowning. This guy for some reason: Don't tell me what to do! Genius
This is one of the rare cases that I hope these 2 men were served massive fines for all the trouble and the massive financial losses they caused. I'm glad the catfish survived in the cave 😉
Totally. Especially since it was all over a freaking fish! Talk about dumb, trespassing- maybe even poaching, having trillions of gallons of precious water diverted. I really hope the two men were arrested and fines for at least the illegal trespassing.
I'm with you they should be fined. They pass not only one fence but two fences that said it was it danger to people and not to enter. The rescue divers, the rescue boats and the man hours that went into getting this gentleman out too bad up for quite the fines
I've listened to many of your stories but have grown accustomed to bracing for a tragic ending. Thanks for this one, it offers the little bit of hope that we may need to trust in someday
What an amazing story about people working together!!! If it weren’t for Mark,Buddy and Dennis David would have certainly perished. Their determined quick actions saved a man’s life. These men are HEROES and LIVING ANGELS!!!
Thank you for posting this heartfelt comment. There is no need for everyone to pile up on the guy with such a forceful and chilling lack of human compassion. This terrible test brought out the best in people, a thing rarely seen these days. It's to be celebrated ( and never repeated again).
that's useful human instinct that's kept us out of caves after evolving, it's in our dna to be wary of tight, dark, damp places. humans observed natural traps in caves where animals fell to die and learned
I gotta wonder how big was his fine and did he do any jail time? Surely he would have paid his debt to society with a smile. People literally moved heaven and earth to save him. Great vid!
So, you're okay with them dying... for the crime of trespassing? Is that what you're saying? Tell me, how would you feel if that was your child, or your best friend, or your brother inside that cave? As you stood outside waiting with your family, would you be telling the authorities, *_"That's okay... he violated safety concerns by going in there. So, don't trouble yourself and just let him die. He deserves it."_*
@@thebonesaw..4634 What I don't like to see is volunteer rescuers having to be sent in, at the risk of their own lives, to bring out foolhardy adventurers who should have known much better.
@@mikesgoodmann9349 -- Well, here's the thing. There are thousands of stories here of people who've gotten themselves in trouble in caves. Most are people totally allowed where they are, but who've gotten in over their heads, or had their equipment fail on them. They're also going to risk the lives of the people who volunteer to come rescue them. How do you feel about these people? The risk to the rescuers is the same and the cost is the same... but they're fine because, they got in trouble by accident. Where as Dave and his buddy got into trouble... by accident. Oh, except they committed the heinous crime of "trespassing"... so that makes it all different... somehow. I find your philosophy and your logic quite interesting.
@@thebonesaw..4634 Im fine with going to rescue ppl, who are there legitimately and following the rule. But when they are so irresponsible, that they knowingly break the law repeatedly, ignoring multiple warnings and signs, illegally going over fences, I'd say, theyve made it perfectly clear, that they do not care about their own lives, nor of any1 their selfish irresponsible actions bring into danger. If they had been fx. bat researchers there legally and under all kinds of rules, they would have every right to ask for rescue, and rescuers should do everything within reason of their own lives to help them. But death seeking adventurers, who do not give a shit about the lives of others, and who knowingly choose to go in there? F... them. Nobody should risk their lives trying to save selfish morons, who doesnt care about endangering other ppls lives. I may sound callous to u, but Ive met far too many of that kind of a$$holes in my life, and its a miracle, when they only kill themselves and not others, and those, who survive, very rarely learn from it and go on to keep being irresponsible shits endangering others' lives. Ive come to the point, where Im not wasting energy caring about the lives of ppl, who A. do not care 1 bit about my life, and B. chose to put themselves in that situation despite laws, rules and warnings. Probably good, Im not in the position to influence, whether they deserve to be treated with far more care and consideration, than they ever show others, or not. Coz Im defo on the not team.
That is an absolute miraculous story !! These adventures unfortunately so often end in tragedy, as a diver with 30 yrs experience I cannot imagine why people do this being unqualified and lacking equipment , none the less a fantastic story with an equally fantastic outcome thankyou for sharing !!! Love to all from south Australia !!!
As I find myself holding my breath throughout the telling of these caving stories, I'm quite relieved when I get to the end. 😊 The details you found in this one made it quite riveting, especially since their survival didn't look too promising. Well done.So glad they made it. 😊
That decision to not let experiences divers in is ego over anything. I was thinking of a different story where the diver was left to die and some miners/diggers found him after going into a wall but he didn’t make it cause it was long after. This is a crazy rescue. Such a amazing story. He is extremely lucky it ended this way considering all the work done to get him.
I'm so glad you do these. I've watched a ton of similar styled channels about caving, diving etc, survival stories. So many of them get details wrong, reuse images or video that isn't related and generally don't do their research, due dilligence or take time to find an original story. Your videos feel genuine, and it's clear they take time, effort and tedious researching to bring the detail needed to nicly wrap up a story. When the outro rolls I have no questions. No confusion. Just that feeling of "wow".
I'm so happy that people valued this young mans life and put their doubts to rest and as they should, value human life it is precious. I'm sure David today has dedicated his life to doing the same when ever he can for someone else. This makes me happy to be human💜❤️💜☺️
Rest assured, he most certainly has. He happens to be helping folks bring to shore an overwhelmed barge ready to capsize that started to take water yesterday on the very same Nickajack Lake.
Wonder how much this ended up costing David and his friend,not only the fine for entering but lowering the river,what they were doing was illegal so no doubt they had to foot the bill for all the costs.
If you want to something stupid that might kill you and involves breaking the law, then you can. What makes me irritated is when people take these risks that will mean others have to put themselves in danger in order to rescue or recover you. For those, there should be consequences wether it be fines or jail or whatever.
Mandatory enrollment on a cave rescue team could be part of it haha. "We got your ass out of there, but as soon as the next guy gets lost, you're going right back in there, risking your life to save them."
@@townhomes13 This is the last guy I would want recuing me. I bet he never dives again. Probably has a panic attack every time he takes a shower. Would you want this idiot in charge of rescuing you? His ass would turn it into a double rescue. He panicked and made the situation worse. His buddy made it out fine. I think any person with even minimal cave training would have been fine. Always use a guideline its that simple.
I'm glad every now and then these stories have a happy ending. Thanks for leaving out the part where the next day he woke up, checked the mail, and died of a heart attack when he saw the rescue bill 👍
Unbelievable story ... I live down the road from the dam and its amazing they dropped that water on Sunday! Sooooo many heroes in this tale ! WELL DONE LADS
Wow what an amazing story! It really was a miracle because if just one of so many variables were different, he wouldn't have survived. The rescuers are indeed angels, selflessly risking their lives for the hope of a rescue, rather than a recovery. You did a great job telling the story and I appreciate all the details you put into it, the accompanying images, and not having loud, annoying background music.
Whoa. Just whoa. That's one of the most intense build-ups and rescues I've heard. Props to all those involved and not giving up on him. Trying their best to save him when the situation looked so grim. It's nice when these stories have a happier ending than usual. Absolutely amazing video, as usual. 👍🏾
At first I was frustrated by their recklessness, but this ended up just astounding me. What an incredible rescue! Almost unbelievable. This true story fits in seamlessly with the legends of the cave.
I was bracing myself for the worse. Especially when they declared this a recovery mission from the get go! So glad that cave diving expert wouldn't take no for an answer. Goes to show, never undermine the resilience of anyone stuck in such seemingly hopeless situation. Hope he went on to live a less dangerous life...I mean...all that for a fish. I get it, one man's trash is another one's treasure, yet no matter how you look at it in this instance, the risks truly outweighed the rewards. Thanks for sharing this (mis)adventure.
Hey, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your podcast, it is definitely one of my favourites and I recommended to everyone. I enjoy the various topics you cover., and admire the wonderful way you tell the stories on behalf of the victims. Please continue with your channel., I’m your number one Superfan from Australia💛💛💛
Wow!! That was an amazing story and what more amazing is the city that helped to save him with very little hope he was alive. This is one of the best I’ve listened/watch and I don’t know why I’m so into cave disasters but I love successful rescues.
I got chills when you said there was a wave of cheers "he's alive!" That's incredible! I hope this serves as a warning for others thinking of making the same mistake!!
David and his friend deserved to be arrested and fined for trespassing after the rescue. Their recklessness disturbed the ecosystem, put the lives of others at risk for David's rescue, and was a huge hit in money and resources for the town. I have no sympathy for them, considering that they knowingly entered an area that was strictly off-limits.
Wow! I have fished this exact opening and cave at Nickajack! What an incredible story and it’s truly a miracle this gentleman is still alive! Would enjoy hearing what happened to him after the rescue?
Don't know how I found this channel. I don't like anything to do with camping , cave diving, cave walking , driving in the water in general . But I'm glad I found this channel. I learned so much about silt . These ppl should really watch the descent 1, and 2 for going down in a cave .
Wow what an amazing story and a refreshing change of pace. I find near death experiences so fascinating and truthfully it’s just because I’m terrified of my own morality I love hearing stories about angels and stuff absolutely fascinating story as usual keep up the great work man I love your videos
I had an out-of-the-blue visitation one morning while relaxing listening to music, just waking up and stretching before starting my chores when a dearly-loved, departed friend just came to mind (sort of over my right shoulder), wrapped me in peace and love not of this Earth and told me, "This feeling is what it is like here; let people know to not be afraid or sad for themselves or a loved one that has passed." It was beautiful and so I am sharing now.
@@MrDeified thanks man. I watch your stuff every night. You have waaaaay more caving stories that I haven't heard than any other youtuber. Great work dude
Wtf looking at that map and hearing about the cave for the first 15mins like I was 100% thinking im watching a body recovery video, that is next level that they got him out. Well done on the video and editing.
The fact they managed to lower the water level in my opinion is more of a miracle than the finding of the air pocket. I've worked with companies and government organisations before ina few different jobs. But a good example is when I was a mechanic, we had a contract to repair ranger vehicles, old landcruisers that spent more time in water and offroad than even on dry dirt. For the most part anything to do with the drive line was just do it. But one of the drivers managed to...well have a head on with a tree. It needed a new bullbar, and everything behind it to the fan hub on the engine. Want to know what took 6 months to get approval for? Headlights and the radiator. Took numerous phone calls, emails even actual letters in the post. Their budget wouldn't allow for that kind of work. Nevermind the fact every 10k km all fluids needed changing. And ever 20k km the whole driveline had to be rebuilt...and no they wouldn't approve diff, gearbox, transfer case breathers...but no that radiator and headlights just couldn't be afforded. Edit: should point out the driver did say the tree jumped out infront of him. Rather sheepily I guess he thought as we were mechanics we didn't know how trees work. I mean according to lord of the rings trees can walk so maybe it's true.
@@thevalorousdong7675 they kind of are tbh, 80 series twin headlights aren't the easiest to find. Making the long approval time even harder to deal with when you see good ones just go by as besides fluids we had to make every attempt to get oem parts only because....who knows why those kinds of contracts can be weird.
I think you might have had us all sucked in for a while. Thinking he had passed away. But amazingly he was alive and kicking. Thank you for a great story MrDeified. You do it well ☆
Whenever they're telling you what someone experienced from their perspective... if means they survived. Otherwise, how would we know what they experienced from their perspective?
I really did not expect the ending to be what it was! This was a really great story. I hope there were some lessons learned by David and his friend. It's kind of ironic the rescuers were startled by that monster cat fish too lol.
I had to rewind the end of this video just to confirm. I truly enjoy your videos and must say that "confirmation" I got was about you saying to give that "Be extra nice to the Like button" while MrBallen videos are all about heavy hate on the LIKE BUTTON. You're the good guy to the 👍 button and his followers hate the 👍 button. Truly enjoy that small sense of irony.
What an amazing story! I was convinced David was going to be found deceased. Buddy is a true hero. I find it interesting that David's friend's name is never revealed. I'm sure an internet search would find it, but I think "Friend" is still the best name for this individual. Oh, and the Catfish survives as well. :)
WOW WHAT AN AMAZING STORY...GOD BLESS YOU DAVID WOW THE MEASURES THEY WENT TO SAVE HIM IS JUST BEAUTIFUL ALTHOUGH IT WAS A VERY BAD DECISION ON DAVIDS PART IM SO HAPPY HE IS ALIVE!!!!
No miracles here, just sheer, unbelievable competence and determination on the part of the rescuers, especially Buddy, and an equally unbelievable amount of luck. The bravery and determination of these guys is unreal. This is one of the most dumbfounding SAR successes I've ever heard
@@dscveredno it was due to the air pockets throughout the cave and the decision making from buddy and his team there's no miracle, just right decisions by humans.
Gant was as lucky as he was stupidly reckless... on the one hand it was a time & place where cave diving wasn't common, so well trained & equipped rescuers weren't close enough (or experienced enough in caving) to help in time. On the other hand, he was lucky that in the 90's people like the dam worker & experienced caving rescuer were still given enough autonomy to make a call based on their experience... I doubt they'd get the reservoir drained that quickly now. Great video! 👍
Did David have to pay the TN Valleyauthroities for their lost revenue in dropping the water level? And was he fined? I think he should have also done jail time for his blatant disregard of what was illegal.
David is not only a crazy SOB for going into that cave but he's also a really lucky SOB. The fact that everything went so well had to be an act of God. He's truly lucky to be alive but after all that he'd still have to pay that huge fine.
Geeze, he's mother would, no doubt, be pleased if she could read your comment there K. D.... She must be a REAL 'Bitch'? I guess I'll take your word for it.
@@shayla106 -- I can't paste a hyperlink to comments in this channel. Google "david gant cave"... the second link is an AP news article titled "TVA Lowers Lake to Rescue Scuba Diver from Underwater Cave". At the very bottom of that article it says, _"When rescued, Gant was in good condition but weak and nauseated, Poplin said._ _Despite a chain-link fence at its flooded entrance, the cave lures divers because catfish inside grow between 6 and 8 feet long and weigh 200 pounds. No charges were expected to be filed against him."_
@@thebonesaw..4634 I saw the authorities with what looked like a single mother on the side of the road the other day, she must have been in her teens. They had set a speed trap up at the bottom of a hill where the zone went from 80 down to 50, and were catching people out in that transition right AT the sign. Cheap revenue raising practice. Her car looked beat up, she herself looked like she wasn't eating well, no shoes, I could see her bawling her eyes as she collapsed to her knees with baby in hand, they handed her the ticket that will likely strip her of her license and put her in months of financial hardship and went about pulling the next tax donor over. What a shame the authorities didn't think she was suffering enough when they handed her that bullet.
I been living in Chattanooga my whole life and fished at thar dam plenty times. Good fishing spot by the way but never knew nickajack had a cave. I just learned something new today.
What an exciting story! I was holding my breath a lot while watching it…wondering if he would survive and trying to imagine what he was going through down there. He was an idiot for going in that cave, but I’m glad he made it out.
If only we had more leaders like this today. These MEN (rescuers) had a strong moral compass, loads of compassion. They literally did what was right, even knowing it wouldk mcost NO MATTER THE FINANCIAL COST
Wow! truly remarkable! Holy crap what luck that guy had! Amazing work by the ones involved, I knew a dive instructor from the tri cities area, he had a supply shop and a hobby store in one, he showed me photos from underwater wrecks and told me about numerous underwater passages all over Tennessee, I said NOPE and shopped in the hobby store lol!
The biggest miracle was breezing through bureaucracies in a single phone call
Facts. Even actual angels are more common than that. 😂
Truly!!
True America has the worst bureaucratic system
This is the comment of all comments! 💯
I disagree.. the biggest miracle was 15 didn't die tying to save someone who put EVERYBODY'S life in danger
He’s lucky. He best be making annual donations to that rescue team for new equipment and rescue supplies
nah apparently he came a christian preacher or some unproductive thing like that
@@IStMl with a 100,000 bill
The whole team would literally be invited for every cookout and holiday for the rest of our lives ✋💀
@@IStMlas long as donates to the caving society lol😮
@@IStMllmfao
17:23 wild how much they did to save him. Hundreds of people, hundreds of thousands of dollars, hours and hours, lives risked, because he wanted a damn catfish in a closed cave.
Yea they definitely finna hit him with that 25grand fine they need some of that money back😂
"He's alive! Now slap him with that $100.000 fine and 1 year in prison" 😂😂😂
I think the fine was 25 000 back then. They increased it to 100 000 and a year in prison, possibly because of this incident. I don't know if these men were punished.
I tried to look it up but I couldn't find any original sources from back then, only articles from late 2000s/early 2010s and none of them mention if they were fined
@@exantiuse497 They could have pursued them for the loss of income via lowering the lakes surface but i donno if they did that. Think they thought it might be a bit of a killjoy to spoil such 'miracle'. Would have been much better outcome if the rescuers would have reached David, handed him a fine and left him back in the cave.
Hahaha that’s the first thing I though!
No
One wants to feel sympathy for David, but--making multiple trips into a cave that was legally off limits, and extremely dangerous, to CATCH A FISH?
The fish they were looking for, that the rescue team encountered, was probably laughing its gills off. The resources and funds to rescue one
damn fool who deliberately defied the law and common sense is mind-boggling and disgraceful. That said, I'm glad he survived and that he DIDN'T
get the fish!
EXACTLY!
Agree 100%
Glad he's alive. But that is trespassing crime and amount of $$$ cost to taxpayers?
What the people who take these risks don't think about is all the volunteers that will have to put their own lives on the line to try to save them. I too am glad he's alive but his selfish decision could have cost more lives than just his own.
anyone who ignores hazard warnings and dies as a result is an evolutionary failure
Buddy, and the TVA administrator that made the decision to drop the lake, are GOATs. Kudos to all who helped.
BUDDY LANE IS A LEGEND
I'm so glad David is alive, but I also hope David and his friend got severely punished by the law, because these are the types of men that do illegal stuff that put other men's lives in danger and cost massive amounts of money to the tax payers.
Rescuers don't get paid at all lol. It's a thankless job. They truly are our finest and we don't deserve them.
Exactly and that's why there have to be consequences for egotistical moves like this. For a catfish. A fish. You risk the lives of people and the resources of others FOR. A. FISH. @@dxcSOUL
@@dxcSOULThe rescuers are volunteers, true, but the equipment is extremely expensive and definitely not given out free to each rescue team. I was on a search and rescue/recover team in the 90s. My partner constantly tried to get me to be certified in underwater rescue, but that is where I drew the line. I was certified in all kinds of rescue including high angle and trench, but no. If I can't see my hand in front of my face (like where they practiced) I am not jumping in. They truly are the finest.
So proud to be a Tennessee Volunteer. We believe in helping out whenever and however we can. Thank you for sharing this story!
Thank you for helping the folks who need it!
Me 'O' Man used to say, "We're a funny pack of bastards". "We spend all our time hating on our fellow man, trying to do him harm, even wanting to kill him at times" (see Putin, China/Taiwan, neighbors, even road rage incidents, etc, etc) "and yet, as soon as an emergency happens we all run around, even putting our own lives in danger, just to come to some random strangers rescue"! I fully agree, we are (very weird)!
Awesome
If only the titans and vols football program was so convincing
@@intothemystic5223 👋 from Manchester, TN!
Well he called it, it really was his last dive. I normally have a degree of sympathy with most the folk you cover but the fact they were disturbing bats and trespassing he sort of had it coming. Amazing as always man
Thank you!
Played a stupid game and won a stupid prize.
@F. Friedrich Kling Hauss -- They didn't. The articles I read stated that the state had no plans for filing any charges against them... and I can't find any articles to the contrary, saying they were charged at a later date.
@@susand9296 wow, that's original.
@@WarbandGames A lot of these stories are fundamentally about people pursuing risk for their own personal glory, risk that is very selfish if you don't take proper precautions because when you need rescue it puts other people in danger. That's to say, I don't think anybody is just mad about the bats, he was reckless and didn't consider what needing rescue would mean for the people who'd come save him. The bat thing just tips the scales towards him really seeming thoughtless and self absorbed.
Definitely deserved to be rescued! But an asshole for needing to be 🤣
Government: This cave is extremely dangerous. Stay out of it so you don't risk pointlessly drowning.
This guy for some reason: Don't tell me what to do!
Genius
All of that for some catfish they didnt even knew if it was real, turned out it was but still
Just simple entitlement is all this was. Lots of people afflicted with it.
Same pfp gang?? I thought I commented already for a sec
You just had 4 years of 'muh freedom' idiots and youre surprised?
A+ job sourcing photos and video, really kicks it up a notch compared to other disaster videos!
Good video but... he couldn't figure out David's "Friend's" name 😆
This is one of the rare cases that I hope these 2 men were served massive fines for all the trouble and the massive financial losses they caused. I'm glad the catfish survived in the cave 😉
Right and maybe some jail time
Totally. Especially since it was all over a freaking fish! Talk about dumb, trespassing- maybe even poaching, having trillions of gallons of precious water diverted. I really hope the two men were arrested and fines for at least the illegal trespassing.
I'm with you they should be fined. They pass not only one fence but two fences that said it was it danger to people and not to enter. The rescue divers, the rescue boats and the man hours that went into getting this gentleman out too bad up for quite the fines
The one that got speared probably didn't. Shame they didn't perish in my opinion, selfish, greedy people.
@@susand9296 its a shame someone didnt die? piss off karen. you are the only greedy one. end it.
I've listened to many of your stories but have grown accustomed to bracing for a tragic ending. Thanks for this one, it offers the little bit of hope that we may need to trust in someday
👍👍❤️
Parp!!
What an amazing story about people working together!!! If it weren’t for Mark,Buddy and Dennis David would have certainly perished. Their determined quick actions saved a man’s life. These men are HEROES and LIVING ANGELS!!!
Not going to lie.. I’m not used to happy endings in videos like this, but I needed it!
Awesome and I'm glad it was a happy ending as well.
I’m sure David will never take anything for granted again.
@MrDeified weiner breath!!! Long time no see!!! I see you verified 👀
Thank you for posting this heartfelt comment. There is no need for everyone to pile up on the guy with such a forceful and chilling lack of human compassion. This terrible test brought out the best in people, a thing rarely seen these days. It's to be celebrated ( and never repeated again).
I'm used to happy endings if you know what I mean. 😅
David should have a lifetime of community service lol
I would literally lose my mind if I ever found myself unable to move due to a tight space. Just thinking about it makes me extremely uncomfortable.
I'm currently Groaning a Shxt out...
@@dstaff7373 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Frfr I’d rather pack my own parachute and jump out of a plane all on my own for the first time then go cave diving lol
that's useful human instinct that's kept us out of caves after evolving, it's in our dna to be wary of tight, dark, damp places. humans observed natural traps in caves where animals fell to die and learned
I would have died of anxiety.
I gotta wonder how big was his fine and did he do any jail time? Surely he would have paid his debt to society with a smile. People literally moved heaven and earth to save him. Great vid!
Articles from the time say the state didn't seek to prosecute the men, they probably didn't receive punishment.
I do not love stories where people die. But when they ignore so many safety concerns it makes it easier to watch.
I just hate to see good lives having to be sent in after bad.
So, you're okay with them dying... for the crime of trespassing? Is that what you're saying? Tell me, how would you feel if that was your child, or your best friend, or your brother inside that cave? As you stood outside waiting with your family, would you be telling the authorities, *_"That's okay... he violated safety concerns by going in there. So, don't trouble yourself and just let him die. He deserves it."_*
@@thebonesaw..4634 What I don't like to see is volunteer rescuers having to be sent in, at the risk of their own lives, to bring out foolhardy adventurers who should have known much better.
@@mikesgoodmann9349 -- Well, here's the thing. There are thousands of stories here of people who've gotten themselves in trouble in caves. Most are people totally allowed where they are, but who've gotten in over their heads, or had their equipment fail on them. They're also going to risk the lives of the people who volunteer to come rescue them. How do you feel about these people? The risk to the rescuers is the same and the cost is the same... but they're fine because, they got in trouble by accident. Where as Dave and his buddy got into trouble... by accident. Oh, except they committed the heinous crime of "trespassing"... so that makes it all different... somehow.
I find your philosophy and your logic quite interesting.
@@thebonesaw..4634 Im fine with going to rescue ppl, who are there legitimately and following the rule. But when they are so irresponsible, that they knowingly break the law repeatedly, ignoring multiple warnings and signs, illegally going over fences, I'd say, theyve made it perfectly clear, that they do not care about their own lives, nor of any1 their selfish irresponsible actions bring into danger.
If they had been fx. bat researchers there legally and under all kinds of rules, they would have every right to ask for rescue, and rescuers should do everything within reason of their own lives to help them. But death seeking adventurers, who do not give a shit about the lives of others, and who knowingly choose to go in there? F... them. Nobody should risk their lives trying to save selfish morons, who doesnt care about endangering other ppls lives.
I may sound callous to u, but Ive met far too many of that kind of a$$holes in my life, and its a miracle, when they only kill themselves and not others, and those, who survive, very rarely learn from it and go on to keep being irresponsible shits endangering others' lives. Ive come to the point, where Im not wasting energy caring about the lives of ppl, who A. do not care 1 bit about my life, and B. chose to put themselves in that situation despite laws, rules and warnings. Probably good, Im not in the position to influence, whether they deserve to be treated with far more care and consideration, than they ever show others, or not. Coz Im defo on the not team.
That is an absolute miraculous story !! These adventures unfortunately so often end in tragedy, as a diver with 30 yrs experience I cannot imagine why people do this being unqualified and lacking equipment , none the less a fantastic story with an equally fantastic outcome thankyou for sharing !!!
Love to all from south Australia !!!
So many myths, so many tragedies.
Excellent, as always.
Thank you. 😊
Thanks Barbara!
@@MrDeified thanks for the upload! I haven't heard this story.. you nailed it, great job!❤️😎
As I find myself holding my breath throughout the telling of these caving stories, I'm quite relieved when I get to the end. 😊 The details you found in this one made it quite riveting, especially since their survival didn't look too promising.
Well done.So glad they made it. 😊
You and me both!
19 minute story long time to hold your breath
@@johnskees3435 Lol..now that's funny. 😁
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Great video as always, I love listening to these when painting.
Thank you! Cheers!
Maybe a catfish
That decision to not let experiences divers in is ego over anything. I was thinking of a different story where the diver was left to die and some miners/diggers found him after going into a wall but he didn’t make it cause it was long after. This is a crazy rescue. Such a amazing story. He is extremely lucky it ended this way considering all the work done to get him.
Do you remember any names from the other story?
I'm so glad you do these. I've watched a ton of similar styled channels about caving, diving etc, survival stories. So many of them get details wrong, reuse images or video that isn't related and generally don't do their research, due dilligence or take time to find an original story.
Your videos feel genuine, and it's clear they take time, effort and tedious researching to bring the detail needed to nicly wrap up a story. When the outro rolls I have no questions. No confusion. Just that feeling of "wow".
I'm so happy that people valued this young mans life and put their doubts to rest and as they should, value human life it is precious. I'm sure David today has dedicated his life to doing the same when ever he can for someone else. This makes me happy to be human💜❤️💜☺️
Me too! I’m sure he absolutely learned from the experience and I’m so glad he was saved ❤❤❤. Think how ecstatic his family must have been.
Rest assured, he most certainly has. He happens to be helping folks bring to shore an overwhelmed barge ready to capsize that started to take water yesterday on the very same Nickajack Lake.
Obviously David didn't value his life and put everyone at risk to save him. I hope he was fined and jailed for his stupidity!
You release schedule and when I get off work are perfectly aligned. Thank you for putting out quality videos.
This is the most miraculous true event I've seen in 3/4 of a century. Great job.
I'm never this early to a video! I found you a few days ago and love your content.
Yay! Thank you!
Wonder how much this ended up costing David and his friend,not only the fine for entering but lowering the river,what they were doing was illegal so no doubt they had to foot the bill for all the costs.
Small price to pay to make it out of a situation like that. Affordable, even.
I hope so. They were selfish and wanted to kill a catfish!? And did all of this. Probably wrecked the whole ecosystem…
I sure hope they had to pay this bill.
I dunno, it sounds like almost dying and having to breath in a tiny air pocket sounds like a bad time by itself.
@@CalvinRRC real shame, would have removed two degenerates from the gene pool
Seriously such an underrated channel. I'm absolutely hooked. Thanks for the work you do 🥰
Thank you too!
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I love the way you tell stories!!! Nothing is worse than an interesting story and a monotone narration! Great work
Thank you very much!
If you want to something stupid that might kill you and involves breaking the law, then you can. What makes me irritated is when people take these risks that will mean others have to put themselves in danger in order to rescue or recover you.
For those, there should be consequences wether it be fines or jail or whatever.
Yes, I think that it involves sending in good lives after bad!
Mandatory enrollment on a cave rescue team could be part of it haha. "We got your ass out of there, but as soon as the next guy gets lost, you're going right back in there, risking your life to save them."
Especially when it's drilled into your head not to attempt dives that you are not certified to do. At least it was when I got certified.
@@roberthooper8883 These fools should be responsible for making their own rescue arrangements.
@@townhomes13 This is the last guy I would want recuing me. I bet he never dives again. Probably has a panic attack every time he takes a shower. Would you want this idiot in charge of rescuing you? His ass would turn it into a double rescue. He panicked and made the situation worse. His buddy made it out fine. I think any person with even minimal cave training would have been fine. Always use a guideline its that simple.
I'm glad every now and then these stories have a happy ending. Thanks for leaving out the part where the next day he woke up, checked the mail, and died of a heart attack when he saw the rescue bill 👍
Unbelievable story ... I live down the road from the dam and its amazing they dropped that water on Sunday! Sooooo many heroes in this tale ! WELL DONE LADS
Wow what an amazing story! It really was a miracle because if just one of so many variables were different, he wouldn't have survived. The rescuers are indeed angels, selflessly risking their lives for the hope of a rescue, rather than a recovery. You did a great job telling the story and I appreciate all the details you put into it, the accompanying images, and not having loud, annoying background music.
Whoa. Just whoa. That's one of the most intense build-ups and rescues I've heard. Props to all those involved and not giving up on him. Trying their best to save him when the situation looked so grim. It's nice when these stories have a happier ending than usual. Absolutely amazing video, as usual. 👍🏾
At first I was frustrated by their recklessness, but this ended up just astounding me. What an incredible rescue! Almost unbelievable. This true story fits in seamlessly with the legends of the cave.
I was bracing myself for the worse. Especially when they declared this a recovery mission from the get go! So glad that cave diving expert wouldn't take no for an answer.
Goes to show, never undermine the resilience of anyone stuck in such seemingly hopeless situation.
Hope he went on to live a less dangerous life...I mean...all that for a fish. I get it, one man's trash is another one's treasure, yet no matter how you look at it in this instance, the risks truly outweighed the rewards.
Thanks for sharing this (mis)adventure.
I consumed all your content in a single day. Great job you definitely do my favorite cave disaster documentation
An amazing story that made me appreciate just being able to breathe. I can’t even imagine the terror this diver had to cope with. Thanks
Hey, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your podcast, it is definitely one of my favourites and I recommended to everyone. I enjoy the various topics you cover., and admire the wonderful way you tell the stories on behalf of the victims. Please continue with your channel., I’m your number one Superfan from Australia💛💛💛
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Wow!! That was an amazing story and what more amazing is the city that helped to save him with very little hope he was alive. This is one of the best I’ve listened/watch and I don’t know why I’m so into cave disasters but I love successful rescues.
I got chills when you said there was a wave of cheers "he's alive!" That's incredible! I hope this serves as a warning for others thinking of making the same mistake!!
David and his friend deserved to be arrested and fined for trespassing after the rescue. Their recklessness disturbed the ecosystem, put the lives of others at risk for David's rescue, and was a huge hit in money and resources for the town. I have no sympathy for them, considering that they knowingly entered an area that was strictly off-limits.
Yeah I was just thinking the same. Those guys deserve some jail time and heavy fines.
They would have definitely paid the fine of 50k.
If the rescuers weren’t obligated then I wouldn’t have any issues. People should have the right to risk their lives if they want to
Whilst it sucks that they were in a dangerous situation, it was 100% avoidable had they not put themselves into that dangerous situation.
Good that they survive but what a total jackass they knew the risks and didn’t care. This is what reckless and arrogance looks like smh
He's probably still paying off those fines! Great video and thanks for sharing 😊
Neither of them were fined or charged with a crime. The authorities felt they had both suffered enough.
Wow! I have fished this exact opening and cave at Nickajack! What an incredible story and it’s truly a miracle this gentleman is still alive! Would enjoy hearing what happened to him after the rescue?
He went skydiving a year later and forgot his parachute. RIP
Love your upload schedule, thank you for giving us we want at a crazy fast pace. We appreciate you
You are so welcome!
the tva moving that much water in one hour for one man gave me chills.
why is this some folklore tale
it is so rare to see this sort of happy ending in gone wrong videos. what a lucky person david was!
That is an absolutely crazy story. I can't believe how reckless people can be.
Neither were fined nor charged with a crime. The authorities felt that they had both suffered enough.
@@thebonesaw..4634 Sure….
Don't know how I found this channel. I don't like anything to do with camping , cave diving, cave walking , driving in the water in general . But I'm glad I found this channel. I learned so much about silt . These ppl should really watch the descent 1, and 2 for going down in a cave .
Thank goodness he survived! Those 2 men were behaving very foolishly but that must have been so terrifying. I hope they learned their lesson.
Wow what an amazing story and a refreshing change of pace. I find near death experiences so fascinating and truthfully it’s just because I’m terrified of my own morality I love hearing stories about angels and stuff absolutely fascinating story as usual keep up the great work man I love your videos
I had an out-of-the-blue visitation one morning while relaxing listening to music, just waking up and stretching before starting my chores when a dearly-loved, departed friend just came to mind (sort of over my right shoulder), wrapped me in peace and love not of this Earth and told me, "This feeling is what it is like here; let people know to not be afraid or sad for themselves or a loved one that has passed." It was beautiful and so I am sharing now.
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I love listening to your stories! And, it’s really awesome to hear a story that ends in a rescue. Very exciting and very encouraging!
Dude your like mr ballen you just showed up in my recommended and never looked back. Quality and consistent content. Your bound to succeed man.
Welcome aboard!
@@MrDeified thanks man. I watch your stuff every night. You have waaaaay more caving stories that I haven't heard than any other youtuber. Great work dude
best way to celebrate my day off. Thanks for the amazing content, as always.
Well done, you really go the extra mile on the info as well as the images you use in the vids. Thank you. Oh yeah, amazing story by the way.
He should be charged for EVERYTHING!
Wtf looking at that map and hearing about the cave for the first 15mins like I was 100% thinking im watching a body recovery video, that is next level that they got him out. Well done on the video and editing.
How refreshing to hear survival stories in this series!
WOW! This has to be one of if not, the best story you have told! You're gonna be up there with Mr. Balllen in no time!
Is that “prevent your death, go no further” sign in an underwater cave? TERRIFYING, that would stop me too!!
Yea it's called the eagles nest and you'll find stories on it if you search!
One of my favorite videos of yours so far. Great story & great narration!!
Always enjoy your rarely if ever heard before, stories! Keep up the great work 👍
Thanks so much!
This is a wonderful story. The miracles and compassion of the rescuers is amazing,
Thank you and I agree.
Holy crap! This is such an insane story! Sounds like a thriller movie!
I listen to these stories all the time. I am completely blown away on this one. Thanknyou
The fact they managed to lower the water level in my opinion is more of a miracle than the finding of the air pocket. I've worked with companies and government organisations before ina few different jobs. But a good example is when I was a mechanic, we had a contract to repair ranger vehicles, old landcruisers that spent more time in water and offroad than even on dry dirt. For the most part anything to do with the drive line was just do it. But one of the drivers managed to...well have a head on with a tree. It needed a new bullbar, and everything behind it to the fan hub on the engine. Want to know what took 6 months to get approval for? Headlights and the radiator. Took numerous phone calls, emails even actual letters in the post. Their budget wouldn't allow for that kind of work. Nevermind the fact every 10k km all fluids needed changing. And ever 20k km the whole driveline had to be rebuilt...and no they wouldn't approve diff, gearbox, transfer case breathers...but no that radiator and headlights just couldn't be afforded.
Edit: should point out the driver did say the tree jumped out infront of him. Rather sheepily I guess he thought as we were mechanics we didn't know how trees work. I mean according to lord of the rings trees can walk so maybe it's true.
Those headlights were made of unobtainium
@@thevalorousdong7675 they kind of are tbh, 80 series twin headlights aren't the easiest to find. Making the long approval time even harder to deal with when you see good ones just go by as besides fluids we had to make every attempt to get oem parts only because....who knows why those kinds of contracts can be weird.
@@azazeldeath Mhm. The parts pipeline sometimes wants to make you pull your hair out
I think you might have had us all sucked in for a while. Thinking he had passed away. But amazingly he was alive and kicking. Thank you for a great story MrDeified. You do it well ☆
Whenever they're telling you what someone experienced from their perspective... if means they survived. Otherwise, how would we know what they experienced from their perspective?
Love it when they end like this!! Terrifying and amazing!
Awesome!
This is my favourite of all your videos so far!
Wonderful story. It was genuinely surprising he made it out alive.
I agree!
Indeed.
I’m a new subscriber. I love your voice! Your stories are interesting. Thank you.
I really did not expect the ending to be what it was! This was a really great story. I hope there were some lessons learned by David and his friend. It's kind of ironic the rescuers were startled by that monster cat fish too lol.
Dude your good at this I love your videos iv been hooked watching non stop . Do some scary saturation diving videos
It’s hard to feel bad for people taking insane risks. I feel bad for their families
I had to rewind the end of this video just to confirm. I truly enjoy your videos and must say that "confirmation" I got was about you saying to give that "Be extra nice to the Like button" while MrBallen videos are all about heavy hate on the LIKE BUTTON. You're the good guy to the 👍 button and his followers hate the 👍 button. Truly enjoy that small sense of irony.
Amazing story with an incredible ending, very well told!
So happy they found him and got him out alive and safe. Thank you for sharing this story with us
What an amazing story! I was convinced David was going to be found deceased. Buddy is a true hero. I find it interesting that David's friend's name is never revealed. I'm sure an internet search would find it, but I think "Friend" is still the best name for this individual. Oh, and the Catfish survives as well. :)
@@Notfearjustexcitement Buddy is the name of the guy who helped rescue the diver.
That was a good one. Love the giant catfish that makes cameos.
I actually laughed out loud when they said a large catfish swam by them!!! Ha!!!
WOW WHAT AN AMAZING STORY...GOD BLESS YOU DAVID WOW THE MEASURES THEY WENT TO SAVE HIM IS JUST BEAUTIFUL ALTHOUGH IT WAS A VERY BAD DECISION ON DAVIDS PART IM SO HAPPY HE IS ALIVE!!!!
Lets go VPN and Shadow games....give this man a sponsor. Congrats on the 50k subs.
Thank you so much!
No miracles here, just sheer, unbelievable competence and determination on the part of the rescuers, especially Buddy, and an equally unbelievable amount of luck. The bravery and determination of these guys is unreal. This is one of the most dumbfounding SAR successes I've ever heard
His survival was a miracle
@@dscveredno it was due to the air pockets throughout the cave and the decision making from buddy and his team there's no miracle, just right decisions by humans.
@@Smurf-jr2zf It was a miracle ❤️ The humans pulled off a miracle god willed his survival
yes some people would refer to “unbelievable amounts of luck” as a miracle😐
Gant was as lucky as he was stupidly reckless... on the one hand it was a time & place where cave diving wasn't common, so well trained & equipped rescuers weren't close enough (or experienced enough in caving) to help in time. On the other hand, he was lucky that in the 90's people like the dam worker & experienced caving rescuer were still given enough autonomy to make a call based on their experience... I doubt they'd get the reservoir drained that quickly now. Great video! 👍
When the rescue divers broke through and their bright lights blinded David for sec I gave a smile and sigh of relief ,was this guy fortunate or what
Nice to finally hear a good ending to one of these stories, so many end in tragedy.
Did David have to pay the TN Valleyauthroities for their lost revenue in dropping the water level? And was he fined? I think he should have also done jail time for his blatant disregard of what was illegal.
That was a great story. Made me cry a little. Thanks, I always enjoy your channel. 👍😁💞
A button on the wall with a sign "do not press under penalty of law", will be broken within hours from overuse. Humans are nuts.
Ever been on a train?
@@peterdieleman303
haha
East Tennessean here! So cool to see a story from my area
David is not only a crazy SOB for going into that cave but he's also a really lucky SOB. The fact that everything went so well had to be an act of God. He's truly lucky to be alive but after all that he'd still have to pay that huge fine.
Geeze, he's mother would, no doubt, be pleased if she could read your comment there K. D.... She must be a REAL 'Bitch'? I guess I'll take your word for it.
Neither of them were fined or charged with a crime. The authorities felt they had both suffered enough.
@@thebonesaw..4634 Proof?
@@shayla106 -- I can't paste a hyperlink to comments in this channel. Google "david gant cave"... the second link is an AP news article titled "TVA Lowers Lake to Rescue Scuba Diver from Underwater Cave". At the very bottom of that article it says,
_"When rescued, Gant was in good condition but weak and nauseated, Poplin said._
_Despite a chain-link fence at its flooded entrance, the cave lures divers because catfish inside grow between 6 and 8 feet long and weigh 200 pounds. No charges were expected to be filed against him."_
@@thebonesaw..4634
I saw the authorities with what looked like a single mother on the side of the road the other day, she must have been in her teens. They had set a speed trap up at the bottom of a hill where the zone went from 80 down to 50, and were catching people out in that transition right AT the sign. Cheap revenue raising practice.
Her car looked beat up, she herself looked like she wasn't eating well, no shoes, I could see her bawling her eyes as she collapsed to her knees with baby in hand, they handed her the ticket that will likely strip her of her license and put her in months of financial hardship and went about pulling the next tax donor over.
What a shame the authorities didn't think she was suffering enough when they handed her that bullet.
I been living in Chattanooga my whole life and fished at thar dam plenty times. Good fishing spot by the way but never knew nickajack had a cave. I just learned something new today.
What an exciting story! I was holding my breath a lot while watching it…wondering if he would survive and trying to imagine what he was going through down there. He was an idiot for going in that cave, but I’m glad he made it out.
Amazing story with a beautiful outcome. Thanks for sharing.
I feel this cave is a quick pronunciation away from a fist fight...
Wow!!! I have no words! I have a feeling dude became extremely emotional when he heard the rescue team. I know would have been stoked
If only we had more leaders like this today. These MEN (rescuers) had a strong moral compass, loads of compassion. They literally did what was right, even knowing it wouldk mcost NO MATTER THE FINANCIAL COST
Yes! ❤
Wow! truly remarkable! Holy crap what luck that guy had! Amazing work by the ones involved, I knew a dive instructor from the tri cities area, he had a supply shop and a hobby store in one, he showed me photos from underwater wrecks and told me about numerous underwater passages all over Tennessee, I said NOPE and shopped in the hobby store lol!