Photos are from Huntsville OPP and a picture of Cecilia and Ted with their son Mark taken approximately 18 months ago.
A massive search is underway for a man from Grafton who has been lost in the woods in Lake of Bays Township since Monday.
Frederick (Ted) Nasmith (age 76) and his wife Cecilia (age 70) went for a picnic near where they were staying near Toad lake on Monday, August 31, 2020.
Cecilia Nasmith is well known by people in Northumberland County as one of the most trusted and hard working community reporters. She regularly writes stories for Today’s Northumberland.
“We had our lunch and started to go back and could not find our way back,” Nasmith told Today’s Northumberland.
“It’s crazy because Ted has been hiding in these woods, literally all his life. Whatever the reason he couldn’t find his way back.”
The couple kept walking in hopes of finding a way out.
“The day went by and we knew we had to sleep out that (Monday) night.”
As the couple were on vacation, no one was aware they were missing.
The other problem was, each one thought the other had brought their cell phone. But no one did.
“At one point I said this would be a good time to call somebody. He said, I don’t have a phone with me.”
The couple stayed in the woods on Monday and on Tuesday once again walked around but, “didn’t have any luck.”
“We camped out overnight (Tuesday) again, but it rained on us.”
“By Wednesday morning we were getting pretty discouraged.”
Hoping they could get their bearings on where they were, the couple walked to a “giant” hill.
“We were thinking we could see something helpful, but we didn’t.”
“Ted said, “I just want to be alone for a few minutes and went down the hill.”
But when Cecilia went down the hill a few minutes later, it wasn’t the same path as her husband took and the two became separated.
“I couldn’t find him and I also didn’t recognize where I was.”
“It was like I walked into a different world.”
“I just screamed his name because I didn’t want to be separated from him.”
Nasmith said at that point, “I realized I was lost in the woods alone now.”
Continuously walking, Nasmith said she stumbled on what might have been a path to a hunting camp.
“I followed it for a good hour thinking I could find someone or something there (at the camp) that could help us. But when I got to the end, there was just woods.”
So she backtracked in hopes going the other way would lead her out.
“The path must have come in from the road. So I retraced and at some point I realized that I was crossing a creek that hadn’t been there before. I had somehow got off on a whole different path.”
Following it she came to a clearing where there were hydro wires where she set up and stayed overnight on Wednesday.
Having no food since Monday, Nasmith said when she got up on Thursday, she was weak.
“I was trying to figure out which way to go. But I couldn’t find any place that wasn’t marsh.”
“I remembered a fork on the path that I’d been on, so I re-traced down the path and the fork took me onto a road (Limberlost Road between Dwight and Huntsville).”
“I flagged down a truck and he called 9-1-1 and I asked for help for Ted and myself.”
During her ordeal, Nasmith said she fell down a lot over the days being lost and has numerous scrapes and bruises.
She was checked out by paramedics who took her back to the family cabin where they were staying where she has members of her family including her son Mark.
Her husband of 48-years is still missing, but Nasmith is very appreciative of the efforts of Huntsville OPP along with a helicopter, canine and ATV’s since 10:30 a.m.
At this point, all she can do is wait and hope her husband is found soon.
Nasmith is asking, “please pray hard. He was losing his strength the last time I saw him and I’m so worried.”
Editors Note: For anyone that knows Cecilia and her husband knows the type of people they are. They would and have done anything for anyone. They are both very generous and kind souls. Personally, I can’t say enough about Cecilia. She is amazing and I’ve always said, and will always say, she is the best reporter I know. Above that. She is an amazing person that is admired by anyone who knows her. My thoughts are with Cecilia in this difficult time and hope Ted is found soon.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
