DALLAS — It was a fishing trip that almost cost a North Texas man his life.
He lay broken, battered and bruised for days, near a remote part of the Trinity River.
He didn't have any food or water, or hope that help was on the way.
He also had to battle the heat -- 97 degrees on Thursday, 98 degrees on Friday.
The 55-year-old man is recovering at Baylor Medical Center.
More than 20 people from Dallas County Fire Rescue and Wilmer Police and Fire helped rescue him.
When they found him, he was dehydrated and he had a broken leg.
A medical chopper was on standby, as emergency crews shutdown south Beltline Road in Dallas County Saturday afternoon, to rescue a man no one was searching for.
Hikers called 911, after they found a fisherman, about a half mile away from the road.
Firefighters loaded up in a pick-truck and went in.
"We had to hike most of the way back there. We were able to get a vehicle down there," said Chief Joel Dulworth.
Soon after, they spotted the man near the river.
"An elderly male had fallen down the riverbank, possibly about 25 to 30 feet," said Dulworth.
"We were able to bring him back up the embankment of the river and drive him back out."
Still able to speak, he told the rescue team he had been there for days.
"The heat coupled with not having anything to drink there for the last two days -- this could have been a very bad situation," Dulworth added.
Before takeoff, the man thanked those who saved him.
"Another day or two with this heat out here, this would have been a whole different story," said Dulworth.
E-mail: mdiaz@wfaa.com
