Seven days after a 25-year-old autistic man wandered away from a Burnett County camp, hundreds of volunteers celebrated. They found Keith Kennedy alive.

No one was more relieved than Keith’s parents. Monday, they talked about the amazing fact that they have their son back.

Keith Kennedy's parents say they'll probably never fully know what their son went through over the past week.

"He's never spoken in the past tense in his life," says Keith's Dad Bruce Kennedy.

But, what Bruce and Linda Kennedy do know is enough: Their son is alive.

"Keith is a real, real strong and unique individual. Who could've survived something like that? It's really remarkable and I talk about miracles and that's what happened," says Keith's Mom Linda Kennedy as she tears up a little.

Keith disappeared last Sunday from the Trade Lake Camp near Grantsburg. Hundreds of volunteers searched the dense forests surrounding the camp for developmentally disabled adults, including a crew of St. Paul firefighters.

"Everyone had been searching all day and we were tired and covered in ticks and eaten alive by mosquitoes and as soon as I yelled, everyone came running and we picked him up and we took turns carrying him and clearing a path out," says St. Paul Firefighter Gary Ruiz.

Ruiz says Keith was dehydrated and hungry when they found him lying near a creek about a mile from the camp. He was full of bug bites and ticks and didn't have his clothes. But, Keith was conscious and responded to his name with a moan.

"To have him make that noise was one of the happiest days of my life. You're out there and not expecting to find somebody alive. That's unbelievable," Ruiz says.

Back at the camp, Keith’s parents heard a commotion. The next thing they knew, they were in a car on the way to meet up with the searchers and their son.

"It's amazing, truly amazing. I can't even put it into words," Linda Kennedy says with a smile. “I'm so grateful that the firefighters found him. Those guys really know their stuff."

"Everybody teared up. Everyone was smiling. It was a good day. It was a great day,” Ruiz says.

Ruiz says it was great to see all the firefighters, police officers and sheriff's deputies high fiving and hugging. He says the search was incredibly well coordinated and a victory for everyone involved.

Keith's parents expect him to make a full recovery.

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SUNDAY'S STORY:

The missing autistic man from Minnesota has been found and he's alive and well.

A Minnesota firefighter found 25-year-old Keith Kennedy Sunday evening in a heavily wooded area, curled in the fetal position next to a creek bed about a mile from the camp. His body was covered with bug bites.

It appeared he had been there for two to three days.

A volunteer assisting with the search says the 25-year-old was cold and dehydrated.

He was airlifted to a Minnesota hospital.

Searchers feared Kennedy might suffer a medical emergency without the anti-rejection drugs he has taken since a kidney transplant in 1995.

Camp staffers speculate Kennedy walked away from the camp out of fear of getting in trouble after sneaking into the cafeteria to get some popcorn.