Stranded hiker’s SOS text failed — but his wife says 'God' sent a stranger to save him

Mailia Rose's (@maliar18 on Instagram) husband had gone hiking on Superstition Mountain, Arizona, when he suddenly felt uneasy and texted his wife, "I need help," but unfortunately, that very message was never delivered to her. But God knew Rose couldn't be there for her husband, so instead, he sent John, a stranger, to help when he suffered a deadly heatstroke up in the mountain. Rose shared the incredible story on May 1, 2025, and the post has since gained 1.9 million views online.

Rose and her husband, Colt, are from Idaho, where the climate is completely different from that in Arizona. That day, Colt had gone hiking all alone, leaving Rose panicking only when he didn't return home on time. She tried contacting him, but his phone was unreachable. However, everything changed when Rose received a text from an unknown number that read, "Good afternoon, I am with your husband, Colt." John explained that when he found her husband, he had run out of water and was suffering from heatstroke. "John was the only man on the trail that day. It was 110 degrees and too hot for hiking, even for locals," Rose explained.

Surprisingly, John, a retired firefighter, said he was not supposed to be there hiking that day, but he was somehow promoted to go, maybe because he was destined to help Colt. "He carried my husband out of the mountain for miles, giving him all the water he had left. God sent this man to save my husband," she added. Colt was lucky to have John around when he suffered a heatstroke, or else the outcome would have been tragic. In fact, a shocking report by the World Health Organization (WHO), citing a study by The Lancet Planetary Health, says that between 2000 to 2019, nearly 489,000 people died because of heat-related issues every year.

Echoing the sentiments, @mrs.katie.brown commented, "My husband carries a satellite text device for him to message me if there is a problem as he goes hunting. It is 100% worth the peace of mind if you are an outdoor enthusiast. Cell phones are great, but they only have so much range." Similarly, a user who goes by @vanessatgonzales on Instagram commented, "I just can’t get over the fact that God sent John to help him with extra water. All I can think of is John 1 in the Bible. He obeyed the Lord and helped save another. Praise God. This serves as a gentle reminder to myself to be obedient to the Lord and not ignore the still, small voice. So glad your husband was found by John."

Meanwhile, @allwritewithbri said, "'I need help!' The message didn’t get to you, but the God who dispatches his angels got it… and that’s what matters!" @cvoss_cookiedesigns shared, "As a fire and medical dispatcher, I am so, so thankful that your husband was sent an angel that day. I get too many calls… where the hikers are not that lucky. Unfortunately, most are not from AZ… Don’t get me wrong, we get a ton that are local. But it kills me when non-locals go hiking and don’t know just how brutal it is here…even in 90-degree weather. It’s not easy. I’m so happy your husband is still here with you. God bless your family, truly."

You can follow Malia Rose (@maliar18) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.