YouTubers recently visited the final resting place of a man who is said to have ‘suffered the worst death imaginable’ and came across a heartfelt tribute.
In November 2009, John Edward Jones, along with his brother Josh and some friends, ventured into Nutty Putty Cave, which is situated roughly 55 miles from Salt Lake City in Utah. Unfortunately, John did not make it out of the cave.
On November 24, the experienced spelunker and medical student crawled into a passage of the cave aiming to reach an area called the Birth Canal. However, the 26-year-old became stuck approximately 400 feet from the cave’s entrance and could not turn around.
John found himself trapped in a space measuring a mere 10 inches across and 18 inches high, and to make matters worse, he was upside down.
Despite the best efforts from his brother, friends, and a ‘large team of rescuers’ equipped with ‘sophisticated ropes and pulley systems,’ the student suffered a heart attack ‘due to the strain put on his body by being inverted’ and passed away after being stuck for around 28 hours, as explained in a YouTube video by Legacy Crawlers.
Given that John’s body could not be retrieved, the cave was permanently closed, sealing his remains inside. Nonetheless, the YouTube creators visited the site in 2023 and found a touching tribute dedicated to the young explorer.
In a video shared in November 2023, the YouTubers explain that ‘explosives were used to collapse the cave and the entrance was then sealed off by concrete.’
However, a plaque has been placed on one of the rocks near the old entrance of the cave to memorialize John.
The plaque reads, according to Find A Grave: “On November 25, 2009, our beloved John passed away at this site. He was a loving father, a kind husband, a loyal son, and a true and cherished friend. Those who knew John best will remember his faith and his caring heart.”
“Thank you John for showing us how to make eternity our covering and our rock and our salvation as we journey here on earth. We miss you and love you always.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2w3K0Y2YlY
Five years after his passing, John’s wife, Emily Jones-Sanchez, spoke to Deseret and expressed that despite John’s death and his body remaining in the cave, she feels his spirit is still present.
She mentioned: “I’d had my fair share of doubts and struggles, but after my experiences after John’s death, I knew death wasn’t the end. I knew John was still out there. I thought: ‘OK. He has work to do and I need to figure out what I’m going to do.’”
“[…] Life is still wonderful and beautiful and good, even though bad things happen, because Heavenly Father has a plan for us.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.