Rescuer explains why he could not save John Edward Jones

A final rescuer reveals the impossible odds that blocked the Nutty Putty Cave rescue in 2009.

Rescuer explains why he could not save John Edward Jones in Nutty Putty Cave

Nutty Putty Cave near Utah Lake drew cavers and scouts for decades before a fatal entrapment in 2009 led to its sealing. John Edward Jones, a 26 year old medical student, entered a narrow passage in the Birth Canal area and became stuck headfirst in a 10 by 18 inch opening. He was trapped for 27 hours as rescuers worked in a dark, cramped space, but his condition deteriorated and he could not be freed. Officials sealed the cave with explosives to prevent future accidents and Jones’s body has never been recovered. The site now serves as a memorial, and the episode helped inspire the 2016 film The Last Descent.

Brandon Kowallis, one of the last rescuers on site, offered a new account in 2024 that helps explain why the effort could not succeed. He described Jones as rapidly slipping into unconsciousness and recounted seeing signs that he was declining, including talks about angels and demons. Kowallis noted that Jones’s legs were twitching and he was taking gurgling breaths, suggesting fluid in the lungs. He estimated that moving a 210-pound unconscious person through the tight passages would be nearly impossible. After hours of rock chipping, the team concluded that extraction could take days, and the decision to pause was made while the family offered encouragement by radio. The rescue never resumed, and Jones was pronounced dead as the cave was left as a memorial.

This account reframes a well known tragedy as a study in the limits of rescue under extreme geometry. It shows how even with courage and modern gear, some hazards overwhelm human effort when space is narrow and the body is no longer cooperative. The story raises questions about how much risk is acceptable at adventure sites and who bears responsibility for communicating danger to visitors. It also highlights the pull of memory in a community, turning a perilous place into a somber landmark and a cautionary tale for future explorers. The Last Descent framed the episode as cultural memory as much as a cautionary tale, reminding readers that fascination with danger must be matched by vigilance and safety.

Highlights

Memory should guide safety without glamorizing danger.