Mother reunited with son after going missing at Walls of Jericho

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - In overnight search for a missing hiker in Jackson County ended with tears of happiness. He was found by a helicopter crew Friday on the Walls of Jericho trail.

As soon as Vincent Alexander Graham’s mother Yvonne found out that the ALEA helicopter had spotted her son, she waited eyes peeled for the rescuers to bring him back.

“Just try to stay calm and most importantly pray,” Vincent said.

Graham tells me his mom and sister picked a place to meet up, but he lost his way.

“I was trying to find the water fall. I knew we were supposed to meet there to go swimming and everything. But I got lost,” he explained.

The panic started to set in when it got dark.

“It’s like 8:30 then I started yelling for help,” he said.

But he tells us rescue crews were on the opposite side of the mountain.

“I was stuck inside the tree in the moment when it started pouring down rain. And I was like ‘I am going to get pushed down the cliff and I’m going to be a goner,’” Vincent said.

When he saw the helicopter in the sky Friday morning he was relieved.

“So I just started waving and hopping up and down as much as I could. I mean I was already exhausted,” he said.

Vincent tells us he has some health issues so taking his medications is essential.

“Well yesterday I was good. Yesterday I was composed. But this morning when his alarm went off for his meds. I just couldn’t handle it,” says his mother Yvonne Graham.

But luckily he had put a few extra in his pants. Besides being exhausted, Vincent is in good shape.

“When they found him I just broke down and cried. And when I saw him I thought finally I get to hug you,” Yvonne said.

Jackson County chief deputy Rocky Harren tells us he hopes anyone who comes here to the Walls of Jericho to hike is well prepared with any supplies and medicine they may need such as Vincent had, in case anything were to happen.

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