8-year-old survives two days in Michigan forest by eating snow

An 8-year-old boy survived two days in the frigid and remote Michigan wilderness by eating snow and hiding beneath a log.

Nante Niemi of Wisconsin was found at 1:30 p.m. Monday roughly two miles from the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park campground — where he had been staying with his family, Michigan State Police said.

The second grader — wearing only a sweatshirt and sweatpants — disappeared 48 hours earlier when he wandered from the Wakefield campsite to gather firewood for his family.

The lost boy walked an entire trail until he was led to a dead end.

Rather than continue strolling through the unmarked 60,000-acre forest — described by officials as a “very remote” park — the clever child hunkered down and found shelter beneath a log.

Police said Nante used “branches and leaves for warmth and also blanketed the log he was under. He didn’t have any food but ate clean snow for hydration.”

The boy endured temperatures that dropped to the 40s both nights.

More than 150 people from various law enforcement groups, including nine K9s, joined the search on foot, in the air and on water.

The parties covered a roughly 40 square mile area.

When Nante was finally found, first responders offered to carry the young boy back to his family, but Nante said he preferred finishing his journey on foot.

“They offered to carry him out today, but he told the guys who found him that he wanted to walk!” Michigan police said.

Nante has since been reunited with his family and is in good health, according to officials.