Donn Fendler

Donn Fendler is an American survivalist known for his incredible story of survival in the wilderness. At just 12 years old, he became lost while hiking Mount Katahdin in Maine in 1939, spending nine harrowing days alone in the wild. Utilizing skills learned from scouting, he navigated more than 130 kilometers, enduring hunger and harsh weather conditions before being rescued. His experience garnered national attention, earning him a medal from President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his bravery, and his story has since been memorialized in books and films. Fendler continued to share his survival lessons in schools until his passing in 2016.