Texas Man Survives for Five Days With Punctured Lung, No Food and Water, After Crashing Car Into Woods: 'It Truly Is a Miracle'

A Texas man who was reported missing has been found alive. He had crashed his car and survived without food or water for five days. Jose Velazquez, 32, was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday, June 26, after visiting a bar in Main Street, Houston. His family reported him missing after he failed to turn up to work later that morning.

Several days later, Texas EquuSearch confirmed that Velazquez had been found alive but seriously injured after flipping his 2007 four-door Honda Accord in The Woodlands area of Houston. Officials were able to locate the 32-year-old after tracking his cellphone.

"Though he has multiple serious injuries; they are not thought to be life threatening, and it is thought that he will survive," Texas EquuSearch said in a statement. "Jose was badly injured and trapped in the woods for five days without food or water. Thankfully, he has been found alive, and we hope he will now have the opportunity to live another day, and many more years."

According to KHOU, EquuSearch believe Velazquez was thrown from his vehicle during the crash, but was able to crawl back towards it. He was conscious and talking when he was found by the search party around 100 yards into a wooded area after careering off the interstate on Texas 242.

According to Sergeant Erik Burse, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, similar crashes have happened at that intersection before, reports the Houston Chronicle.

"He was alive, all you can say is it truly is a miracle," Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller told KHOU. "He had a lot of broken ribs, a punctured lung, dehydrated. For him to still be alive, I just don't know. But it doesn't happen everyday, I can tell you that."

Velazquez was believed to be travelling to his cousin's house before he was involved in the crash. It reportedly took more than five hours to pull the wrecked Honda out of the woods.

"He said to one of our searchers 'sorry that I smell,'" Thomas Murphy, the search coordinator, told KHOU. "He had his humor after all that."

Velazquez was taken to the Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he remains in serious condition.

"The Texas EquuSearch members that were there looking for Jose did a superb job, and you can also be very proud of yourselves," EquuSearch added in a statement. "We would also like to recognize and thank Houston Police Department Missing Persons Investigator Danny Do for his quick, professional and diligent efforts to find Jose."