On September 23, 2026, Matt Teeters vanished while hiking the 27‑mile Eagle Rock Loop in Ouachita National Forest, after falling behind cousin Nick Walker near Winding Stair. The family sent a satellite SOS and called the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, which teamed up with the US Forest Service to launch an overnight search.
Ashley Lea Smith, a local hiker who knew the trail from past trips, took a day off work, grabbed her dog Buckey, and headed to Musgrove Hole the next morning. She spotted a man in a red shirt and, after asking if he was Matt, confirmed his identity and called out, "Buckey, we found him."
First responders arrived within minutes, checked Teeters for injuries, and found only scrapes and bruises. He was otherwise unharmed and was reunited with his family, who had been anxiously waiting since the night before.
Grateful for the rescue, Jennifer Teeters set up a GoFundMe titled "Giving Back to Ashley and Buckey – Hiking Heroes" to help Smith repair her roof and build a new deck. The family contributed $500 of the initial budget and, by October 2, the campaign had raised more than $6,000.
Smith said she was simply doing the right thing, and her dog Buckey was her constant companion. The family’s fundraiser is a tangible thank‑you for a stranger who stepped into the wilderness and returned a lost life.
The fundraiser will continue until the roof and deck are finished, offering Smith a concrete way to repay the kindness that saved a family’s peace of mind.