In 2009, a cave expedition took a horrifying turn, leaving medical student and father John Edward Jones trapped in the depths of Nutty Putty Cave in Utah.
This harrowing incident - which has been described by media as "the worst death imaginable" - has left John's body entombed in the cave for over a decade.
Located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City, Nutty Putty Cave was considered a suitable cave for beginner cave explorers due to its winding passages and large caverns.
John Jones, along with his brother Josh, was an experienced cave diver. On that fateful day in November, the group split into two, with less-experienced members exploring easier sections while the seasoned spelunkers ventured deeper into the cave.
John's misfortune began when he decided to search for a narrow tunnel known as the 'birth canal.' However, he took a wrong turn, leading him to a different area of the cave. As he attempted to navigate a tiny crack in the cave wall, he believed it would open into a larger cavern. Unfortunately, he miscalculated, and he soon found himself wedged inside the narrow crevice.
Stuck in a passage only 10 inches across and 18 inches high, John's predicament grew dire. He couldn't reverse his movement, and his only option was to continue forward. As he advanced, he was forced to suck in his stomach so tightly that he became lodged in the gap when he released his breath.
Realizing he was stuck, John called for help from his brother Josh. In an attempt to free him, Josh pulled John's legs, but this only worsened the situation. John ended up inverted, with his hands pinned under his chest, unable to move.
Josh had to make a perilous journey back through the cave, ascending 400 feet to seek help. The first rescuer, Susie Motola, arrived hours later and found John trapped with only his shoes visible. Despite the challenging conditions, a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save him.
"Hi Susie, thanks for coming," John said, per the Salt Lake Tribute, "but I really, really want to get out."
Over the next 24 hours, Susie and a team of up to 100 people worked tirelessly to save John, a task made worse by the fact that John was in "absolutely the worst spot in the cave".
"It's very narrow, very awkward, and it's difficult to get rescuers down there," rescuer Shawn Roundy told the media at the time.
"It's a really tight spot, but we've been able to get around him. We were able to hold his hand at some point."
After several failed attempts and around 19 hours after he first got stuck, the team eventually devised a complex pulley system that would pull John out of the cave, ABC News reported at the time.
The plan seemed promising, and John even managed to free himself partially. However, tragedy struck when the pulley system broke at the last moment, sending him plummeting back into the depths.
John's panic set in, and his body began to deteriorate from the extreme stress and pressure. Rescuers put his wife Emily back on the phone to calm his nerves and he promised his wife he would get out to be there for her and their children.
Stuck upside down and struggling to breathe - after being trapped for over 25 hours - John started to become unresponsive.
Over 25 hours into his ordeal, he started to lose consciousness. A doctor finally reached him but pronounced him dead of cardiac arrest and suffocation on November 25.
Devastated but determined, John's wife, Emily, refused to leave her husband's body trapped inside the cave. Authorities assured her they would recover it, but the dangerous conditions made retrieval impossible. The passage entrance was eventually sealed with controlled explosives, leaving John's body inside.
Today, Nutty Putty Cave stands as a memorial to John Edward Jones, a somber reminder of a tragic incident that unfolded over a decade ago. Despite the heartbreak, Emily has found love again and remarried. However, she continues to face cruel taunts from trolls on social media, a reminder of the enduring pain caused by this unimaginable tragedy.
The 2016 movie The Last Descent tells the story of Jones' heartbreaking final days.
