Friends, family rejoice after missing Oakland family found safe in Sierra

SIERRA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- An Oakland father and his two young children, who were rescued Thursday night after being missing in the Sierra, are now on their way back to the Bay Area.

Friends and family say they felt a tremendous sense of relief when they got the news Thursday night that Nick Vlahos and his two kids were found safe in the Sierra by rescue crews.

PHOTOS: Oakland family rescued in the Sierra return home

"We were elated. It feels great. We knew this would be the outcome," said Joe Polissky, a friend.

Nicholas Vlahos, 41, and the kids had to be airlifted to safety and ABC7 News was there for the emotional reunion with the friends and family members who were waiting for them.

Vlahos, his five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter were on their way home from camping when their truck got stuck in the mud. Vlahos said he spent the next 50 hours trying to get the attention of rescue crews.

"We could hear them and we could see them, but they couldn't hear us. We were just too tiny. And we had fires and I had pink blankets up in trees and yellow straps all over and we left bottles by the river and we did everything we could," explained Vlahos.

They were finally spotted.

Vlahos took video of his daughter Mila being lifted into the rescue helicopter. His co-workers at Al's Barber Shop in Alamda said they knew Vlahos would be prepared and that the kids would handle the situation just fine.

"They're wonderful spirited. I am sure they thought they were just on an adventure," said Polissky.

They describe it as a very long day as they waited for news. They weren't the only ones anxious to hear something.

"All the customers, friends, everyone in the neighborhood had been checking in and supportive, reaching out like crazy! It was awesome! Really cool," said Paul Ehat, also a friend.

A four-hour trek turned into a two-day ordeal when Vlahos' truck got stuck. He said he spent 50 hours trying anything he could to get the attention of rescuers.

Vlahos had no injuries. The kids had a few bug bites and scratches. The family was lost in a remote area of Sierra County, near a ghost town called Poker Flat.