Florida man, reeling from bad breakup, found trapped in the mud — days after vanishing on Valentine’s Day

It wasn’t for the faint of heart.

A heartbroken Florida man who vanished on Valentine’s Day after a tumultuous breakup was found submerged in mud at a sand plant on Monday — narrowly surviving days without food or water.

Andrew Giddens, 36, was found stuck in mud near a borrow pit at the Vulcan Sand Plant, eight days after his father reported him missing.

Headshot of a man with light brown hair, wearing a grey jacket over a purple shirt, smiling slightly.
Andrew Giddens, 36, was reported missing on Valentine’s Day.Palatka Fire Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
Giddens’ father said they last spoke on Feb. 14. The 36-year-old had been depressed after a recent breakup, and vanished sometime after talking to his dad, family and friends told WCJB.

A deputy who encountered Giddens during a 2023 trespassing incident at the sand plant recognized his abandoned vehicle on the property on Saturday, sparking a widespread search, the outlet reported.

After the grueling two-day manhunt, deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff Office and employees at the plant found him stuck in shoulder-deep mud — somehow camouflaged below grass level, Fox 13 reported.

Miraculously, Giddens was still responsive and able to communicate with the employees who found him — although he was too far out of their reach to pull him out.

Fire crews from Melrose, Palatka and Putnam County responded to the distress call and spent two hours gingerly freeing him from the muck, the outlet reported.

At first, they tried to drag him out using ropes, before pivoting to ladders and other supplies to safely dig him out in one piece.

Rescuers working to free a person from deep mud at night.
Giddens was found stuck shoulder-deep in mud.Palatka Fire Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office

Rescue workers pull a person covered in mud from a pipe.
He was practically camouflaged because he sank below grass level.Palatka Fire Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
“This rescue shows the power of mutual aid, training, and dedication. We are grateful for the bravery and professionalism of everyone involved,” the Palatka Fire Department said.

Giddens was hospitalized in critical condition after narrowly surviving the harsh Florida wilderness without food or water for several days.

No charges will be filed for the trespassing out of consideration for Giddens’ mental health issues.

It’s not immediately clear why Giddens wandered onto the property or how he wound up buried in the mud.