'Best ending possible': McAlester drone company finds missing man who is blind alive

WELEETKA, Okla. (KFOR)- A man who is blind went missing for more than 24 hours, but thankfully the Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company was able to track him down and reunite him with his family.

Steve Burden was in a firework accident in 2020 which resulted in the partial loss of his right arm. He also lost an eye and became fully blind in the other.

Steve's sister, Katie Burden-Greer told KFOR he lives every day like it's normal though, including going on daily walks.

"He can't sit still. He goes somewhere. I'd say most days he's walking to a friend's house or walking in at the hardware store or the gas station," said Burden-Greer. "He doesn't sit still."

The Burden's are from the Weleetka area, so Burden-Greer said Steve is pretty familiar with the town.

However, April 26 took a turn as Steve went for a walk to see a friend and never came home.

"I guess he got turned around. He started calling his friends, telling them he was lost. He needed someone to get him and his phone was about to die. He said he was thirsty and dizzy. And then his phone died. Everybody was out looking for him," said Burden-Greer.

She said she was feeling optimistic her brother would be found, but as the next morning rolled around, the nerves started to set in.

"We were just having no luck," said Burden-Greer.

Eventually, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police were called to help. Burden-Greer said the department flew drones through an area where Steve's phone last registered, but he was nowhere to be found. She added the drones were not equipped to detect body heat.

A friend of Burden-Greer suggested she reach out to a McAlester-based drone company called the Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company.

"We received a message over Facebook that a man had gone missing," said Owner of the Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company, Rhett Acker. "We went north and showed up on the site. It seemed like hope was sort of low at the time, which is understandable."

The Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company utilizes thermal drones to recover pets, cattle, and deer.

"When it comes to human search and rescue, yeah, this is our first time," said Acker.

Within an hour of assisting with the search for Steve, his body temperature was detected by the drone.

Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company footage provided to News 4 initially shows Steve crawling on his hands and knees. He was found without a shirt, phone, walking stick, and only one shoe nearly 30 hours after disappearing.

Oh my God. Are you serious? You found him? Is he okay?

Katie Burden-Greer recalls saying to Rhett Acker over the phone as he found her brother, Steve

Burden-Greer said her other brother and brother-in-law rushed into the woods where Acker's thermal drone hovered over and managed to pull him out alive.

"It gives me chills. That's why I started the company. I wanted to help folks. This is the most extreme case. This job is 100% the most rewarding thing that I could have ever come up with," said Acker.

Burden-Greer said Steve suffered several scratches from the brush and was dehydrated. Overall though, she said he's okay.

"He was like, 'Oh yeah, I'm a survivor. I always turn up.' When I saw him and he said he was okay, I actually smacked him on the back of the head," added Burden-Greer. "I have said thank you five million ways, and I don't know how to say thank you anymore. I'm just so grateful [the Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company] came up. They didn't even charge me because they just felt like God called them to come help. The best ending possible to the story for sure."

Acker describes the miraculous save as a calling from God as well.

"I'm a brother. I've got a brother and sister. I put myself in Katie's shoes. I would hate to be in that situation and then have to worry about how I am going to afford this financially. Our company has a policy that search and rescue is free simply because we want to help the people of Oklahoma. That's our goal at the end of the day is just helping the folks of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Standard," explained Acker. "God's got a plan for their life. He ultimately put everyone in the right place at the right time. He's not done. God gets the glory for all of this. Lean in to him and trust him in your ways."

The Oklahoma Drone Recovery Company is currently looking to hire more pilots. If you're interested, contact okdronerc@gmail.com.