'He actually survived': Man who disappeared last month found alive in the bush

They didn't know where he was for more than a month, but now a father of three — who disappeared after going to a medical appointment in northern Manitoba — has been reunited with his family. 

Russell Adrian Hyslop, 26, was found hiding under a shack frightened and exhausted on Friday evening, said his mom Jeanette Shaoullie. "We just broke [down] in tears and everybody that was looking for him broke in tears and was so happy that we found him alive that he's OK," she said. 

• Mother pleads for help in search for son last seen in Thompson

Hyslop disappeared after a June 19 medical appointment in the Eastwood area of Thompson. He lives in the fly-in community of Northlands Denesuline First Nation, located at Lac Brochet, about 1,011 kilometres north of Winnipeg. 

"My son was pretty lost. He was, I guess he wasn't all there. He said he was hiding from people I guess he was in his own mental state, so he was pretty afraid and confused but he actually survived in the wilderness," said Tom Shaoullie.

Month-long agonizing search

Hyslop's parents led an agonizing search for him that took them all the way to Winnipeg with leaders from their community. Friends and family joined the search efforts and continued to comb through Thompson's trails and bushes looking for Hyslop.

He was finally found after someone in a float plane spotted him in a shack in the bush close to Thompson and called the RCMP, said Jeanette.

"I was just overwhelmed with joy and crying because I was, we were very [full of joy] to see our son alive."

Jeanette said given her son's state, she didn't want to press him for details on how he stayed alive, but mentioned he drank water from puddles and had good survival skills his father taught him when he was young.

You could just hear everybody clapping. People were crying, his son was just so overjoyed.- mom Jeanette Shaoullie

She broke the news to one of Hyslop's kids over the phone. "You could just hear everybody clapping. People were crying, his son was just so overjoyed."

She recalled how difficult the month had been on Hyslop's child. "He kept asking me 'did you find my dad?' When I phoned him he would ask me the question 'granny did you find my dad?'"

Jeanette said her son is now getting the mental health help he needs in hospital and wanted to thank everyone who helped her family during the difficult month.

"There were times that we weren't sure if he's still out there but then we never gave up."

"We're very thankful for everything, the support that we received."