LOCAL NEWS

How one family’s weekend in the Uintahs turned into a search and rescue for their son

May 30, 2022, 8:34 PM | Updated: May 31, 2022, 5:26 am

UINTAH COUNTY, Utah — When Taylor and Nichole Sorensen took their family to Dyer Park for the Memorial Day weekend, they had no idea it would turn into a search and rescue operation. But it did.

“I thought he had gone with Taylor,” Nichole Sorensen said.

“And I thought he had stayed back at camp,” Taylor Sorensen said.

It was early evening when the pair realized he wasn’t with either of them, and they started searching. It wasn’t long before Taylor found his son’s bike. But no sign of the boy.

It’s a moment the couple will never forget.

“Panic set in at that point,” Taylor said.

“I fell apart and I was like, where is he, then my next thought was, panicking and falling apart is going to do me nothing,” Nichole said.

Around nightfall, the couple called 911 and gathered the group of family and friends.

“We said a prayer and asked for help,” Nichole said. “And asked that we would be ok and that he would have people looking over him to make sure he was ok while we tried to find him.”

The Sorensens said dozens of volunteers arrived and started searching.

“It was just amazing to see the amount of people that drop everything just to come out and help,” Taylor said.

Josh Hill was one of the volunteers. He’s with Uintah County Search and Rescue.

“We were pretty confident that it was just a matter of time before we actually ran into him,” Hill said.

Still, crews were disappointed they didn’t find him before calling off the search around 3 a.m. However, the good news came mid-morning on Saturday. Crews had spotted Parker, picked him up and he was OK. They brought the scared seven-year-old to his parents, in the search helicopter.

Nichole said watching that chopper land and waiting for him to get off seemed like “forever.”

“As he gets out and runs to us, it was, he had a big smile on his face, and we did too,” the couple recalls.

And, now, 48 hours later, the stories from his night, lost in the woods are starting to come out.

“He’s like, ‘Dad, ‘I saw a big group of elk, and they had big horns, it was really cool and I found some really cool fishing spot,'” Taylor said.

Parker was quiet and hungry when he was reunited with his parents and in true 7-year-old-fashion, only wanted one thing to eat – a Mcdonald’s Happy Meal.

“We were like, don’t you want any other food? ‘Nope, I want Mcdonald’s chicken nuggets.”

Parker wanted to take his parents back to the “cool” fishing spots he found. So, Sunday they went back up to the area where he spent the night alone, only now it’s covered in snow.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Matt Gephardt working with Bona Rose on the CarChex documents....

Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

Get Gephardt: West Valley woman says her extended car warranty claim was denied unfairly

Many drivers buy an extended auto warranty to cover unexpected repair bills. But when a West Valley City woman turned to her warranty provider for major help on her car's transmission, they turned her down - repeatedly.

8 hours ago

Moments before a Salt Lake City woman is hit by a white car in the Avenues....

Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio, Garna Mejia and Michael Houck, KSL TV

Doorbell camera captures another hit-and-run in Salt Lake City

New doorbell camera shows bystanders rushing to save a woman who may be another victim of an alleged serial hit-and-runner.

9 hours ago

A view of the West Temple and 200 South intersection in Salt Lake City....

Michael Houck

A major downtown Salt Lake City intersection will close from April to May

Starting April 1, the West Temple and 200 South intersection will be closed as crews replace natural gas lines.

10 hours ago

Researchers gathered in a Weber State University room for a Air Quality Summit....

Mike Anderson

Air Quality Summit puts focus on Utah air pollution and solutions

Many of the researchers who study Utah's air pollution problems are sharing what they've found while working to find solutions during Thursday's Air Quality Summit.

11 hours ago

Keith Stebbings (right) confronting Loren Richardson (left) after Richardson allegedly entered his ...

Shelby Lofton

‘He wasn’t intending to hurt anybody’: Brighton homeowner attorney says snowboarder confrontation was a misunderstanding

The Brighton man armed with a gun while confronting a snowboarder in a viral video is now facing criminal charges. But his attorney says he had the right to protect his property.

12 hours ago

Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...

Eliza Pace

VIDEO: Watch the moment a UHP trooper stops a 12-year-old driving on the freeway

Utah Highway Patrol responded to a call of a reckless driver. They didn't know until after they stopped the car that it was a 12-year-old driver.

13 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

How one family’s weekend in the Uintahs turned into a search and rescue for their son