A man stuck up to his waist in a muddy riverbank for more than a day was rescued Monday after he was spotted by a passing fisherman.
Rescuers said Anthony Hawkes was hunting squirrels along the banks of Loosahatchie River north of Memphis on Sunday when he got stuck, WMC-TV in Memphis reported.
He was spotted Monday by fisherman Sowann Chea, who tried to pull Hawkes out. Chea called for help and off-duty Shelby County firefighter Jeremy Havlik was among the first to respond.
"He's just worn out," Havlik told WMC-TV. "He hasn't eaten; he's been down there fighting that mud for 24 hours. He was physically exhausted."
Video shot by the television station's helicopter showed rescuers supported by tree limbs and ladders digging and pulling for several minutes to free Hawkes' lower body from the riverbank.
"I don't know how long he could have held out, but he wasn't coming out by himself," Havlik said.
Hawkes was hospitalized but did not have any serious injuries.