Skier who survived the wild returns to Medford home

MEDFORD, Mass. (WHDH) -- A 17-year-old boy who was found alive and well after going missing for two nights near a ski resort was discharged from a Maine hospital and returned home.

Nicholas Joy of Medford, Mass., was released at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Balloons and banners -- even sandwiches dropped off by strangers -- were waiting outside his home for his return.

Family members thanked everyone who was involved in the search.

“It was a little overwhelming anticipating all of this, but you saw how he came in. He’s quiet, but he’s good. He’s very, very good,” said Donna Joy, Nicholas’ mother. “When the Sugarloaf guys came walking in and said he was alive, it was the best news a mother could hear.”

“We want to thank everybody that was involved, with helping. The news put the word out there, there were more volunteers. Just everything,” said Alysson Atherton, Nicholas’ sister.

Joy’s brother said he couldn’t wait to finally have him back.

“Absolutely great. Everyone has been really generous and loving and caring. Can’t thank everybody enough, especially the people at Sugarloaf who devoted many hours to finding Nick,” said Michael Atherton

Joy’s story of survival, an incredible tale of spending two days and nights on snowy Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine after getting lost on a ski trip.

The 17 year old survived by using tips he gathered from the TV show “Man vs. Wild.” He built a shelter fashioned out of snow and hemlock branches and drank from stream water while looking for help. Rescuers say Joy used his head and was in remarkably good shape.

Joy was found by a Massachusetts firefighter on a snowmobile about four miles from the road.