A Colorado boy who died while living off the grid in the Rocky Mountain wilderness nearly a year after his mother and aunt took him away due to their fears of pandemic conspiracy theories left behind a journal that provides a haunting glimpse into his isolated life.

When the mummified remains of 13-year-old Talon Vance were discovered, a worn-out notebook was found beside him. The notebook initially had a cheerful tone, but it quickly took a darker turn as Talon expressed his sadness about leaving his friends and his subsequent mental breakdown at an Arby’s fast food restaurant.

In an effort to “escape society,” the trio made the decision to leave their Colorado home in 2022 and establish a permanent off-the-grid lifestyle in a tent near Gold Creek Campground, located about an hour’s drive from Gunnison, Colorado.

Before their departure, Talon bid farewell to his online Roblox gaming friends. This heartfelt goodbye was documented in a 24-page journal entry, as reported by Tom Conover from Outside Magazine.

Fluffy, a passionate gamer, pleaded, “NOOO COME BACK!”

Another person expressed their desperate plea, saying, “I would do anything for you to return.”

During their trip, they made a stop at Arby’s to grab some food. Talon expressed his feelings of having a mental breakdown, describing that “nothing feels the same.”

“I had a little breakdown at Arby’s because everything just feels different now,” he expressed with a sad face emoji.

He even shared his experience of accompanying his aunt to the grocery store, where she kindly allowed him to choose a special treat.

“During my breakdown, my aunt took us to Safeway and allowed me to choose any candy I wanted. I was feeling so down that nothing really appealed to me anymore. I ended up picking chocolate mostly for my mom, and when my aunt suggested fruit snacks for me, I just went along with it.”

The family members who are still grappling with the devastating aftermath expressed their disbelief that their attempt to flee would result in a permanent departure.

According to Trevela Jara, Becky’s stepsister, she admitted to not being able to read the journal entries in an interview with The Independent.

Emma, Talon’s half-sister, informed Conover that the journal entries had a distinct scent of campfire smoke, according to Conover.

According to family members, none of the three individuals had any previous experience in outdoor survival. However, it was discovered through some entries that Talon’s mother had been attempting to prepare him for the trip by encouraging him to learn various survival skills, such as knot tying.

He happily wrote, “Square knot! Right over left, Left over right,” concluding the entry with a cheerful smiley face.

He also explained the process of tying various knots, including the clove hitch, bowline, Japanese square lashing, and timber hitch. He excitedly exclaimed, “Side note: I managed to successfully do the trucker’s hitch on my first try!”

Right before the family departed from Colorado Springs, he penned down his feelings about leaving his beloved cat Oreo behind, jokingly referring to him as “stinky”.

According to the author, Oreo had a habit of jumping onto their laps when they were sitting on the couch. This happened frequently, especially when the author and their mother were practicing ropes and knots on July 29th. The author also mentioned that they often worked on the couch during online school, which led to Oreo frequently jumping onto them. Unfortunately, July 29th was the last time Oreo jumped onto the author.

Trevela Jara was entrusted with the care of the cat while the trio embarked on their journey.

According to Ms Jara, her stepsister had expressed her strong desire to live in a remote location, far away from the pressures and challenges of the modern world. She was deeply disheartened by the current state of affairs and sought solace in a secluded destination.

“She had good intentions,” she explained. “She believed that she was safeguarding her son and our sister, Christine, as she didn’t want them to be affected by the unsettling changes she perceived in the world.”

Ms. Jara expressed that her uneasiness with the state of the world was further intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Christine initially had no intention of going, but eventually decided to join the mother-son duo. Her reasoning was that she believed their chances of survival would be higher if she was with them.

The investigators later revealed that their shelter, which was described as a simple Walmart tent worth eighty dollars, proved to be inadequate for the harsh winter conditions in the wilderness. Additionally, they lacked the necessary equipment to ensure their survival.

During the investigation, no firearms or knives were discovered at the location. However, an interesting discovery was made in the form of a fishing rod, although it should be noted that the lakes in the area are currently frozen and inaccessible due to winter conditions. Additionally, a set of four fantasy-themed Choose Your Own Adventure books, a Bible, and Becky’s journal were found. It is worth mentioning that the journal contained detailed information about plant identification and high-altitude foraging, reflecting Becky’s keen interest in these subjects.