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Mom Disappeared Mysteriously — 2 Years Later, Hiker Spots Lumps On Tree.
Miles McCarthy received a call from a hiker in Florida who stumbled upon lumps on a tree in the woods. It had been two years since his mom vanished without a trace.
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0:00
Miles McCarthy received a call from a
0:01
hiker in Florida who stumbled upon lumps
0:04
on a tree in the woods. It had been 2
0:06
years since his mom vanished without a
0:08
trace. Something deep inside of him
0:11
urged him to investigate. As he
0:12
approached the site, he realized that
0:14
the lumps on the tree were a clue that
0:17
could unravel the mystery of his
0:18
mother's disappearance. Miles knew he
0:21
couldn't let this chance slip away. His
0:23
heartbeat dribbled in his ears as he
0:25
followed the hiker deeper into the
0:27
forest. wet leaves squaltched under his
0:30
frantic steps. After 2 years of
0:32
searching, he was finally at the
0:34
precipice of the truth. If only he knew
0:36
what awaited him at the end of that dark
0:38
trail. Before we start, smash the like
0:40
button and make sure to subscribe if you
0:42
haven't and hit that notification bell
0:43
so that you won't miss any new stories.
0:45
It had been a challenging month for
0:47
Miles McCarthy, who, like many
0:49
20-year-olds, was trying to figure out
0:51
his place in life. After a harrowing two
0:53
years rife with nightmares and frequent
0:55
visits to a therapist, he was finally at
0:58
a place where he could start a new. That
1:00
was until he got that call on that
1:02
fateful night. Miles had always been a
1:04
quiet boy, a single child in a loving
1:06
home. His parents made sure he wanted
1:08
for nothing. He had every toy and book
1:11
he wished for and enjoyed many visits to
1:13
theme parks most only dream of. But more
1:15
than any material gift or trip, Miles
1:18
had the undying love of his doing
1:20
parents. He had no clue that the
1:22
terrible end was looming above him.
1:24
Miles was 18 when his world turned on
1:26
its head. His mom, a celebrated botonist
1:29
who also doubled as his best friend, had
1:32
a heart attack. He and his dad drove her
1:34
to the ER, hoping she'd make it. After a
1:36
few hours, the doctor came out with his
1:38
findings. Miles mom had diabetes and her
1:41
high blood pressure spiked the heart
1:43
attack. The doctor promised she'd be
1:45
fine. He didn't know that her journey
1:46
back to health would ultimately lead to
1:48
her disappearance. Miles remembered how
1:51
his life changed all at once. His mom,
1:53
who had always been a ray of sunshine,
1:55
was suddenly different. She would stay
1:57
cooped up in her room for hours on end,
1:59
only coming out for food, to use the
2:01
bathroom, or to kiss him good night. But
2:04
that was only the first half of Miles's
2:06
nightmares. His dad tried everything he
2:08
could to thaw her back to her old self.
2:10
But it seemed the doctor's diagnosis had
2:12
utterly changed who she was. In turn,
2:16
Miles's dad became obsessive over her
2:18
situation, leaving Miles to fend for
2:20
himself despite being just a teenager.
2:22
It wasn't long before he felt alone in a
2:25
house full of people. Miles thought his
2:26
family could work through whatever was
2:28
going on. They'd always had their
2:30
problems, but none of those issues had
2:32
split them as much as this did. Then all
2:34
of a sudden, his dad reported his mom
2:36
missing. Miles could remember him
2:38
calling that evening, explaining that no
2:40
one had seen her in 3 days. But the
2:42
terrible end wasn't here yet. What
2:45
followed was a 2-year search that
2:47
amounted to nothing. Each of those
2:48
months was grueling for Miles, who
2:50
couldn't understand why a person would
2:52
harm a sick woman. The authorities
2:54
claimed his mom was last seen riding her
2:57
bike in the local forest, which she
2:58
loved doing. They promised to give the
3:00
case their all, but their promises would
3:02
soon fall short. The county authorities
3:05
could not make any significant steps in
3:07
finding Miles's mom. Her trail had gone
3:10
cold somewhere in the labyrinthine
3:12
forest. They sent out several search
3:13
parties equipped with K9 units and
3:16
helicopters. They even accepted civilian
3:18
volunteers to lend a hand, but their
3:20
search would amount to nothing. The
3:22
authorities deemed the case a cold one.
3:24
No one could understand how a
3:26
middle-aged woman could lose her way in
3:28
a region of the forest she was familiar
3:30
with. Nothing about the case made sense.
3:32
The authorities urged Miles and his dad
3:34
to continue their lives, promising they
3:36
would open the case if something came
3:38
up. For 2 years, nothing happened. Miles
3:41
and his dad changed states, looking to
3:43
start fresh. Although heartbreaking,
3:45
they put their house on the market and
3:47
moved on. Miles underwent several
3:49
therapy sessions to cope with
3:51
everything. Eventually, he was able to
3:53
focus on his life again. But while in
3:55
sophomore year, he received a call that
3:58
would change his life forever. The
3:59
caller, a 24-year-old hiker named Tim,
4:02
had been frequenting the region of the
4:04
forest where Miles's mom's trail went
4:06
cold. After losing his own mom to the
4:08
same forest 5 years earlier, he couldn't
4:10
stomach the thought of another teenager
4:12
going through what he did. Miles
4:14
wouldn't believe what he had in store
4:16
for him. The information Tim gave Miles
4:18
sounded odd at first. While trekking
4:20
through the forest, the hiker stumbled
4:22
upon a tree that seemed normal at first.
4:24
He was deep in the growth, deeper than
4:26
he'd ever been before, and didn't think
4:28
he'd find something like it in such a
4:30
location. Looking at the tree, it was
4:32
clear it held the key to finding Miles's
4:34
mom. Tim studied the tree up close,
4:37
gasping when it affirmed his theories.
4:39
He took a few photos of it and rushed
4:41
home, ready to break this case wide
4:43
open. The first place he went to was to
4:46
the local station to report the matter.
4:48
But the officers didn't think much of
4:49
his findings. After all, how would a
4:52
tree species crack a case that had been
4:54
on ice for 2 years? Seeing that he would
4:56
need more immediate help here, Tim drove
4:58
to the old McCarthy house. He knew
5:00
they'd moved, but needed to figure out
5:02
where. One of their neighbors could help
5:04
him contact them. He was able to talk to
5:06
their immediate neighbor, a wonderful
5:07
80-year-old woman, who told him the
5:09
McCarthy's had relocated north. Although
5:12
she didn't know where exactly, she
5:14
theorized that they were in New York or
5:16
Pennsylvania. Tim was distraught. Tim
5:18
had thought the McCarthy's shifted towns
5:20
or counties. When he heard they moved
5:22
across multiple state lines, the hope he
5:24
once had came shriveling down. He went
5:27
back home to assess everything. If he
5:29
was right, the tree would help put
5:31
everything to rest. What followed next
5:33
would demand a lot of time and
5:34
resources. Was any of it worth it? Tim
5:37
wanted to save Miles from what he'd gone
5:39
through. He'd hoped to give him a better
5:40
chance at life, owing to the closure
5:42
he'd find inside that forest. What he'd
5:44
found in the forest was mindblowing. The
5:47
tree in question wasn't indigenous to
5:49
the region, which meant someone had
5:51
planted it there. Tim hoped this person
5:53
was Miles mom, or at least someone who
5:55
could lead them to her. Tim took to
5:57
social media, searching for every Miles
5:59
McCarthy he could. As he didn't know
6:01
Miles personally, he found local teens
6:04
in his town who knew him and
6:06
cross-hatched the photos for a possible
6:08
match. It took a little while for him to
6:10
track Miles on Facebook. After hours of
6:12
thinking it through, he shot the
6:14
20-year-old a message. Tim paced about
6:16
as he waited for Miles to open the
6:18
message. He knew what he was doing was
6:20
dangerous, opening old wounds like this.
6:23
But he was already in too deep and would
6:25
do anything to help Miles not undergo
6:27
what he did. He watched with baited
6:29
breath as Miles opened the message, but
6:32
no reply came. Frustrated, Tim made an
6:35
unexpected move. He called. Miles
6:37
answered, immediately accusing Tim of
6:40
mocking him. He explained that people
6:42
often sent cruel messages about his mom.
6:44
But Tim assured him he was different. He
6:46
had found something that might reignite
6:48
the cold case. Miles heart pounded. The
6:51
pain, fear, and anxiety he thought he'd
6:54
buried resurfaced. When Tim asked if
6:56
he'd come to Florida to explore the
6:58
forest, Miles didn't hesitate. With
7:00
their gear ready, they tked into the
7:02
muddy forest, rain pouring down. Miles
7:06
had never been this determined. He
7:07
hadn't even told his dad the real reason
7:09
for the trip, just that he was visiting
7:11
old friends. That lie would soon catch
7:13
up with him. As they navigated the hilly
7:14
terrain, Miles questioned Tim's
7:16
confidence in finding answers from a
7:18
tree. Tim simply told him he'd
7:20
understand soon. His calm demeanor gave
7:22
Miles hope, though he had no idea what
7:25
lay ahead. They descended into a valley,
7:27
a vast green basin, where the setting
7:30
sun peaked behind storm clouds. Tim
7:32
shared that the forest had once taken
7:34
his own mom. He said he understood Miles
7:36
more than anyone else. He revealed that
7:39
it took 5 years for the authorities to
7:41
find her body. Even more haunting, she
7:43
had died only 6 months before the
7:45
discovery. She must have survived alone
7:47
in the wild for years before succumbing
7:49
to the elements. The story hit Miles
7:51
hard. He realized he wasn't alone in his
7:54
pain, but also saw the brutal reality of
7:57
what could happen. He wiped a tear and
7:59
pressed on. All that mattered now was
8:01
reaching the tree Tim had spoken about.
8:04
They pushed deeper into the valley using
8:06
flashlights as nightfell. Tim suggested
8:08
they stop and make camp, but Miles
8:11
refused. He was too close to stop now.
8:14
Ignoring warnings about the dangers of
8:16
nighttime trekking, Miles led the way
8:18
until they reached a clearing. Tim
8:20
placed a hand on his shoulder and
8:22
pointed to the center. "We're here," he
8:24
said. Miles stared at the tree. It was
8:27
different, newer than the rest, clearly
8:28
planted. One look and he knew exactly
8:31
what Tim had meant. It wasn't native to
8:33
the area. "This tree isn't indigenous,"
8:36
Miles whispered. Tim confirmed it,
8:39
explaining that someone had cleared the
8:40
area and planted it recently. Miles mind
8:43
raced. His mother had been a botonist.
8:46
"It made sense this had to be her work."
8:49
But before he could speak, a figure
8:51
stepped out of the darkness. "Mom," he
8:53
stammered. The woman emerged slowly. Her
8:56
clothes were worn but not filthy, her
8:58
eyes alert and clear. Her hair was
9:00
braided, her presence calm, almost
9:03
surreal. "Miles," she said. He ran to
9:06
her and embraced her tightly. "It was
9:08
really her. After all these years, he'd
9:11
found her. But the moment raised more
9:13
questions than answers. If she was
9:14
alive, had she chosen to leave? Or had
9:17
she truly been lost all this time?"
9:19
Miles knew he needed to get to the root
9:21
of the matter. But after 2 years without
9:23
his mom, he figured he could let the
9:25
questions rest for a night. He felt
9:27
alive now that he'd found her. All those
9:30
months of torment could finally burn
9:31
away. But the sense of peace would be
9:34
short-lived. His world was about to
9:36
shift again. "It's dangerous out here,"
9:38
his mom said, motioning Tim closer. She
9:40
had seen their flashlights and assumed
9:42
they were lost hikers. "Few dared come
9:44
this deep into the forest. Between
9:46
hidden pits and wild animals, the risks
9:49
were real. But now she assured them they
9:51
were safe." She took Miles's hand and
9:53
asked if they wanted to come to her
9:55
place. They followed her through the
9:57
dark, muddy trees, surrounded by the
9:59
natural hum of forest life. Eventually,
10:01
they reached a clearing lit faintly by a
10:04
lantern. In the center stood a log
10:06
cabin, modest but clearly maintained. A
10:09
garden grew on one side, and a rack of
10:11
hides stood drying nearby. But there
10:14
were more unusual signs. A bench sat
10:16
beside the garden, and the fireplace had
10:18
been covered with black plastic. It
10:20
looked less like a survival shelter and
10:22
more like a place someone had chosen to
10:24
live in deliberately away from prying
10:27
eyes. Shoes, she reminded gently as they
10:30
stepped inside. The cabin's interior
10:33
surprised Miles. The space was warm and
10:36
inviting. A rug lined the floor. A couch
10:38
and table made up the living area, and a
10:40
full kitchen stood in the back. Two
10:42
doors likely led to bedrooms. His mom
10:45
moved calmly through it all, as if she'd
10:47
been here forever. Nice place, Miles
10:49
commented, trying to make sense of it
10:51
all. Thank you, she replied. It belonged
10:54
to a friend of mine. It's everything a
10:56
cabin should be, he said. A home away
10:58
from home. At that, her expression
11:01
shifted. Then came the question he'd
11:03
been holding back. Why did you leave us?
11:06
His relief twisted into sorrow. We
11:08
thought you were dead. Tim, sensing the
11:10
tension, quietly stepped outside. His
11:13
mom stopped what she was doing, her
11:15
expression dimming. I had to, she said
11:18
softly. I would have died if I stayed.
11:21
Miles voice cracked. And you couldn't
11:23
take us? We spent months searching,
11:25
mourning. She led him to sit down.
11:28
You're a grown man now. I'm so happy to
11:30
see you, but you deserve the truth. Your
11:32
dad and I weren't happy. We had a
11:34
falling out long ago. She brushed her
11:37
fingers over a scar on her arm. It may
11:39
have looked perfect, but it wasn't. He
11:41
didn't want to hear it. That's not true.
11:44
I remember how happy we were. She shook
11:46
her head. You remember what? We let you
11:48
remember a happy childhood. Happy? He
11:51
snapped. Tell that to my therapist. 18
11:54
months of trying to forget the pain. Her
11:57
voice turned sharp. Don't use that tone
12:00
with me. He recoiled. Life isn't always
12:03
kind, she continued. It's full of pain,
12:05
disappointment. I didn't want you
12:07
growing up resenting your father or me.
12:09
She reached for his hand. Some days I
12:12
wanted to tell you everything. I thought
12:14
about taking you with me, but I
12:16
couldn't. You had your whole life ahead
12:18
of you. She exhaled, her eyes tired, but
12:21
open. You're old enough now. If you want
12:23
the full story, I'll tell you.