Is this the bravest boy in the world? Roman, 9, survives for five nights lost in the taiga

By The Siberian Times reporter

09 July 2013

Roman showed true Siberian survival instincts in the wild, never giving up hope that he would be found.

'I never lost hope that they would fund me,' said Roma, who had lost weight and was dehydrated when he was found asleep and exhausted under a tree by his uncle. Picture: Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations

Separated from his father on a fishing trip, it took rescuers six days to find him - alive and well.

'I was very scared, specially when the sun was going down,' he admitted as his mother hugged him in a Tomsk region hospital.

'I got really cold at nights on my beds that I put together from fir tree branches. A few times, I came across bears traces' - paw prints in the soil.

'There was no proper food. I drank water from streams and was eating various plants like wild garlic and green fir cones.'

He said: 'Several times I heard a helicopter flying above me - but I had no way to signal that I was there. It kept my hope that people were searching for me'.

Hunters with the search parties fired guns into the air, which Roma also heard - telling him people were looking for him.

In all, 130 locals joined the search for the boy.

'I never lost hope that they would fund me,' said Roma, who had lost weight and was dehydrated when he was found asleep and exhausted under a tree by his uncle, a member of one of the search parties hunting for him in an area of 150 square kilometres in Tomsk region.

'I don't really want to remember,' said the boy, when asked for more details of his adventure.

Roman Patov, 9, survived after spending six days alone in Siberian taiga

'Roman's emotional mother, who like Roma's father was not named in news reports, praised the rescuers who found the boy and brought him back to safety. Picture: Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations

Roma, who lives in the village of Novonikolayevka, got lost some 20 km from the settlement of Gar. He is now being cared for in the children's ward of Asinovskaya district central hospital, his relieved mother at his bedside.

Today psychologists from the Russian Emergencies Ministry also called in to check he was on the road to recovery after his extraordinary ordeal.

'He is still very weak and gets tired very quickly, but he smiles and chats willingly,' said one source.

Local doctors are impressed by his progress and next week he will be moved to Tomsk Institute of Psychological Health to continue his recovery.

His eyes lit up at the prospect of a rare visit to a city, but he has another plan for when he gets back to his village.

'I want to get better, get back home - and go fishing. I love it more than anything,' he said.

'But I've already promised my Mom to never get in such situation again'.

Roman Patov, 9, survived after spending six days alone in Siberian taiga

'Roman showed true Siberian survival instincts in the wild, never giving up hope that he would be found. Picture: Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations

His emotional mother, who like Roma's father was not named in news reports, praised the rescuers who found the boy and brought him back to safety.

'To all of you - Emergency Ministry rescuers, police, volunteers, foresters, local administration, hunters - I can only say the most sincere thank you from me and everyone in our family,' she said.

'You kept believing that my son will be found, you kept searching for him tirelessly. I bow to all of you'.