Elderly Man Survives 27-Hour Ordeal by Eating Wild Lychees

The man had set out on the evening of June 18th and was last heard from at 11 PM, when he called his family to say he was in a lychee orchard. However, his phone soon ran out of battery, and he lost contact with his loved ones. A search and rescue operation was mounted by the Zhangzhou Blue Sky Rescue Team in collaboration with local police, who scoured the area and eventually located the missing man through surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts. The elderly man went missing when he left his home in Nanxing Village at 8 pm to scavenge for scraps on his electric tricycle, and it was 27 hours later that the team finally located his whereabouts after tracing his movements through security footage in the vicinity of the Pengnan Town's Shuangfeng Mountain Cemetery.

During his ordeal, the elderly man managed to sustain himself by eating lychees, which he had access to in the orchard where he was last seen. Lychees played a crucial role in sustaining the elderly man, providing him with the necessary energy to keep him going and helping maintain his mental well-being. The lychees not only alleviated his hunger but also replenished his body's vital sugar reserves, which undoubtedly contributed to his resilience during the challenging period. However, experts warn that consuming excessive amounts of lychees can lead to acute low blood sugar, a condition colloquially referred to as "lychee disease," caused by a toxin found in the fruit, particularly in unripe lychees. Fortunately, the lychees in the area were largely ripe, minimizing the risk of adverse effects.

The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of elderly individuals. Rescue personnel urge families with senior citizens or those with illnesses to outfit them with location-tracking devices or contact cards when they go out, in order to prevent similar situations from occurring. Furthermore, it is essential to be aware of the health benefits and potential risks associated with consuming lychees, particularly for individuals with specific health conditions such as diabetes, gout, and kidney disease. By taking proactive measures and being mindful of these risks, families can help ensure the safety and well-being of their elderly loved ones. The man has since been reunited with his family and is reported to be in good health, and his resourcefulness and the timing of the lychee season proved to be a lifesaver.