Poppy Bilderbeck
YouTubers visited the final resting place of a man who 'suffered the worst death imaginable' and discovered a touching tribute.
In November 2009, John Edward Jones, his brother Josh and some friends went exploring in Nutty Putty Cave located approximately 55 miles from Salt Lake City in Utah however, John would never return.
On November 24, the experienced spelunker and medical student crawled into a passage of the cave in a bid to find an area known as the Birth Canal however, the 26-year-old ended up stuck around 400 feet from the cave's opening and unable to turn around.
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John ended up trapped in a space measuring just 10 inches across and 18 inches high and not only that, but he was upside down.
Despite the best efforts of his brother, friends and a 'large team of rescuers' who came armed 'with [a] sophisticated ropes and poce system,' 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, a YouTube video by Legacy Crawlers explains.
The cave is permanently closed, sealing John's body inside given it was unable to be retrieved, however, the YouTube creators still went to visit in 2023 and discovered a touching tribute penned to the young explorer.
The YouTubers explain in a video shared in November 2023 that 'explosives were used to collapse the cave and the entrance was then sealed off by concrete'.
However, a plaque has since been placed on one of the rocks near the old entrance of the cave, which memorializes John.
The plaque reads, as per Find A Grave: "On November 225, 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."
Five years after his death, John's wife, Emily Jones-Sanchez, told Deseret despite John's passing and his body remaining in the cave, she believes his spirit is alive and she feels him 'still out there'.
She resolved: "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 on (877) 969-0010.