Utah native Shane Adams experienced a number of big life changes over the course of eight years — the same period of time that his beloved horse, Mongo, had been missing from home.
Adams went through a divorce, lost his home and suffered a major brain injury due to a life-threatening car crash. Then, in September, he finally received some amazing news: His horse Mongo was found.
“[I thought], ‘There is no way. You have got to be kidding me,’” Adams told Fox News Digital of his reaction to learning the news about Mongo.
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“It didn’t even seem real … To have him back is still not real,” he said.
Adams, 40, grew up riding and training horses his entire life, but he had never experienced as strong a bond as he had with Mongo, he said.
Shane Adams leads his horse Mongo as family members accompany him. One of his nieces is riding Mongo in this image, with son Owen tucked right in front of her.
(Shane Adams)
“He is very special and has always been a part of my life,” he said.
On March 31, 2014, Adams said an ordinary camping trip in the West Desert — two hours from Salt Lake City — took a turn for the worse.
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Adams said he heard the rustling of horses in the early morning hours outside his tent and peeked out amid the commotion. He saw Mongo, his half-Quarter and half-Percheron bred horse, breaking loose and running after a group of wild Mustangs in the area.
Adams rushed to get ready and chase after Mongo but was caught up in a snowstorm.
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“I thought he’d just come right back. That was his mentality — he never went far. I didn’t think he would ever be gone,” said Adams.
Shane Adams poses with his horse Mongo and his children, Owen and Anna (left). Mongo (circled on the right) is believed to have been running with wild mustangs during his years away from home.
(Shane Adams/Lisa Reid)
For three years, Adams never stopped searching for his horse.
Every weekend, he said, he went out looking for Mongo; his father Scott Adams accompanied him.
In August, his father passed away, Adams said.
“I really wish my dad was here to enjoy this,” he said. “My dad went out looking with me every time.”
Adams got in touch with the Bureau of Land Management in Utah (BLM Utah) and the local brand inspector, and said he did everything he could to ensure people were aware that Mongo was missing.
Shane Adams, right, smiles as he stands with Mongo, along with his brother, Dakota Adams, and his niece, Roslyn Adams.
(Shane Adams)
As time went on, said Adams, he went back to his old job as a foreman for a large construction company. His position required him to be more present and active at work.
“You can’t run a 100-million-dollar job and be gone and only work two days a week because you’re [out] chasing wild mustangs,” he said.
Adams gave up hope and concluded that Mongo died.
By 2017, Adams had given up hope and concluded that Mongo died. Team members at BLM Utah were also unsure as to what had become of the horse.
“Since we didn’t capture [Mongo] in 2017, we did not know what had happened. We thought maybe he was gone,” said Lisa Reid, public affairs specialist at BLM Utah, headquartered in Salt Lake City.
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Then, on Sept. 2
