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Father of lost kids thanks rescuers

By Richelle Bailey | The McDowell News

Published: June 30, 2009

The father of two missing children found last week in the rugged mountains of Mitchell County near the Tennessee line says words can't express how much he appreciates the McDowell rescuers who plucked his youngsters from the wilderness and returned them nearly unscathed.
"My wife and I cried so much our eyes were sore," said Rick Suddeath of Kingsport, Tenn. in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I want everyone to know how much I appreciate them, and I want to thank the emergency crews for all of their hard work. I couldn't have asked for a better turnout."
McDowell County Emergency Management Director Terry Young stated that officials with the N.C. Division of Emergency Management requested help Thursday in locating Alexander Lee Suddeath, 6, and his sister, Heidi Elizabeth Suddeath, 4.
McDowell sent a search team that consisted of group leader Marvin Hancock from Old Fort Volunteer Fire Department; Jason Lonon from the McDowell County Rescue Squad; Shane Kirkpatrick, Chris Harris and Zachary Hensley from Nebo Volunteer Fire Department; Brad Washburn and Nathan Snyder from Ashford-North Cove Volunteer Fire Department; and William Tipton and Mercedes Rose from Woodlawn-Sevier Volunteer Fire Department.
The local personnel joined scores of others searching for the two kids in the rugged terrain of Roan Mountain near the Tennessee border.
The children got lost while hiking with their parents, Rick and Michelle Suddeath, around 2 p.m. last Wednesday.
In Tuesday's interview, Rick said he and his wife have always been frequent hikers and have taken their kids along when possible. About 20 or 30 minutes into the excursion last Wednesday, the youngsters ran ahead of their parents, and, as their mother and father snapped a few pictures, the children happened onto another path.
"We started calling for them and we couldn't hear anything," Rick recalled. "We got a park ranger, and he started looking. Finally, they just started calling in everyone, and they searched all night."
Rick said he never dreamed what an ordeal it would be.
"It was a terrible scare," he stated. "At first, we thought it was going to be simple, then, as time went on, we got worried that someone might have taken them. Then we started thinking about the animals, like bears. We thought we were never going to see them again."
The Mitchell County Sheriff's Office issued an Amber Alert for Alex and Heidi, also fearing that someone had snatched them.
Around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, only a mile from the Appalachian Trail and about a mile from where they first went missing, the children heard rescuers. Alex later told his father he stood on a rock and yelled back at the men and women who so desperately hunted for them.
That's when McDowell's emergency crew found the youngsters, tired, hungry and thirsty but otherwise unscathed.
"Compliments for the McDowell search team were sent from the N.C. Division of Emergency Management, stating how willing and dedicated the team members were," said Young.
Rick stated Tuesday that his children are doing well. Heidi, he said, doesn't say much about the ordeal. She just can't understand why her parents didn't find them sooner.
Alex, Rick added, knew they were lost and made it his mission to take care of his little sister.
"He said he just tried to keep Heidi close," Rick stated. "He said they cuddled to keep warm and they laid beside a tree and slept that night. He didn't thing he was going to see us again."