INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An 86-year-old man who went missing Sunday while on a walk was located alive late Wednesday night after spending nearly 80 hours in thick, remote woods in Indian River County, authorities said.
Donald Keaton was discovered around 10:30 p.m. when a drone operated by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office detected a faint heat signature beneath heavy tree cover, Sheriff Eric Flowers said Thursday.
Keaton was conscious but unable to move when rescue crews reached him. Deputies, Fellsmere police officers, and Indian River County Fire Rescue personnel cut a new path through the dense vegetation to extract him. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Thursday.
Keaton disappeared Sunday afternoon after leaving the Encore Sunshine Travel RV Park in Fellsmere for a walk. The ensuing search involved helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, drones, K9 units, boats, dive teams, ATVs, and hundreds of volunteers and law-enforcement personnel from multiple agencies.
Agencies assisting in the effort included the Fellsmere Police Department, Sebastian Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and Indian River County Fire Rescue.
“The entire community came together,” Flowers said. “We never stopped looking, and that persistence paid off.”
The Encore Sunshine Travel RV Park donated food, water, and supplies to search teams throughout the operation.
Keaton’s family expressed relief Thursday and thanked the search teams and the public for their support.
