August 29: Birthday of Donn Fendler (1926)
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who are lost and for the people searching for them.
History Note
Donn Fendler was visiting Maine in July 1939. He was a twelve-year-old Boy Scout. While hiking with his father, siblings, and friends on Katahdin, he got separated from the others and became lost in a storm.
Fendler spent the next nine days alone, wandering through the wilderness while hundreds of people were searching for him. His Boy Scout training and his faith in God helped him to persevere despite hunger and injuries.
By following a telephone line, Fendler finally managed to find a hunting camp. An elderly couple there cared for him and helped him reconnect with his family. The people of Millinocket, Maine, celebrated with a parade. He met President Franklin Roosevelt and Life magazine featured his story.
Shortly after his rescue, Fendler worked with author Joseph B. Egan to publish his story in book form—Lost on a Mountain in Maine. The book became especially popular in Maine.
Just a few years later, Fendler served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He went on to have a career in the U.S. Army, serving in the Vietnam War.
Fendler and his wife, Ree, settled in Tennessee, but they spent summers in Maine. Donn visited with thousands of kids in Maine to talk about his experiences.
Donn Fendler died in 2016 at the age of 90.
View of Mount Katahdin and the area around it in 2024. Photo by Jen603207 / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This video shows Donn Fendler reflecting on his 1939 experience 75 years later in 2014.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
