A family of three was stranded in a heavily wooded area along the Muskegon River after their tubing equipment malfunctioned, leading to a three-day survival ordeal without shelter or adequate food.

According to Michigan State Police, Jazman Hock, her cousin Sarah Vida, and 9-year-old Kayden Kovalcik became separated when the tubes they were using—intended for pool conditions—broke apart during a tubing trip on the river.

The family spent three days in the wilderness, resorting to eating ants and tree bark to survive. Rescuers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State Police located the family on August 8 after they had been lost in the area. Video footage shows rescuers wading through dense forest grass to reach the group. One woman was visibly cut and wearing a bathing suit, while Kayden Kovalcik was shirtless.

“We got lost on the river,” Kayden explained during the rescue operation. The family had initially packed protein bars and water but distributed all the food to Kayden, who consumed it entirely. The two women survived by eating flowers, bark, and ants. Michigan State Police reported that the family was found approximately seven miles from where they entered the river, following signs such as footprints, broken twigs, and bent grass.

During the rescue, rescuers covered the family members’ cuts with their own shirts to protect against insect bites and applied medical gloves to prevent further injury.