DHARAMSALA, INDIA (Diya TV) — A man from Northern California who went missing during a hike near Dharamsala has been found alive after nine days of searching in the Himalayas.
Samuel Vengrinovich, 44, disappeared on June 6 after heading out for a solo glacial trek on Mount Triund, near Dharamsala. His family lost contact after that day.
“After nine days of intense searching in the remote Himalayas, Samuel has been found alive. A HUGE miracle,” his family said.
Vengrinovich grew up in Fremont and attended Mission San Jose High School. He later went to San Francisco State University. In 2015, he moved to Israel and left during the 2023 conflict. He has lived in India for the past eight months.
His sister, Natasha Vengrinovich, lives in San Francisco. She said the family last heard from him on June 4, when he shared his excitement about hearing the Dalai Lama speak. The next day, he texted about going on a hike and talked about plans for a family reunion.
“He really helped me stay calm,” Natasha said. “He would say, ‘It’s OK, man. Everything is going to be OK.’”
The family launched a GoFundMe campaign to fund a private search in the remote Himalayan region. They have raised over $64,000 toward a $100,000 goal.
“We urgently need help to cover the rescue costs,” the campaign post said. “The teams who searched for Samuel, day and night, need payment now. Samuel also needs medical care and help to get back home.”
