A Florida man who went missing on Valentine’s Day was rescued on Thursday after being stuck to his shoulders in mud described as “quick sand” without food or water for several days.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said Andrew Giddens, a 36-year-old from Jacksonville, was rescued from a Vulcan Materials Company site east of Melrose.
Giddens had not been seen by his family since Feb. 14 and was the subject of a missing persons report. His family and friends had raised the alarm with authorities after he became depressed following a recent relationship breakup, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said on social media that deputies found Giddens on Thursday “covered to his shoulders in the mud and had sunk below the level of the grass surrounding the borrow pit, making him virtually camouflaged.”
The Palatka Fire Department said on Facebook that Giddens “had been stuck in mud for several days without food or water, while the area faced freezing temperatures.”
A video of the incident shows deputies initially struggling to pull Giddens free using ropes and then using ladders, pallets, wooden boards and other tools to dig him out.
“Additionally, due to the instability of the ground, responders had to progress slowly so they would not sink,” the sheriff’s office added. After more than two hours, he was finally freed at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The man was able to talk to rescuers, but was flown to a trauma center by air ambulance in a critical condition, the sheriff’s office said.
Putnam County Fire Rescue, Palatka Fire Department, Melrose Fire Department and Clay County Fire Rescue all assisted in the rescue.
Deputies found Giddens’ car abandoned on Feb. 23 and had previously found him trespassing on a different Vulcan Materials Company in 2023.
The sheriff’s office said it was not considering trespassing charges against Giddens “due to his mental health.”
“We hope that he is able to recover from his ordeal both physically and mentally,” it said. “We also ask family members and friends to continue to check on loved ones, especially during times of high stress and anxiety.”
A spokesperson for Vulcan said: “Our Vulcan team at the Grandin Sand Plant handled a trespassing situation with care and compassion, shepherding first responders to a man who was in distress. We are grateful for his safe rescue and thankful for the first responders who aided him.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
