This is the unique story of Carlos de Salazar, who was once a young doctor living in the sunny town of Sevilla, in southern Spain. More than 20 years ago, he disappeared without a trace. In the following decades, his friends and family lost all hope of seeing him once again. Until, one day, he unexpectedly reappeared.

Carlos's incredible story will make you reconsider all of your preconceived notions of happiness, society, and well-being. His tale is an inspiring one. But at the same time, it's an overawing statement of what it means to be alive in today's ever-demanding modern society. To truly understand Carlos's actions, let's take a look at how it all started.

A Man Who Had It All

By all means, Carlos de Salazar was a successful young man. At the age of 26, he was employed as a doctor in his native town of Sevilla, where he practiced psychology. He spoke multiple languages, and he was deemed as a charming and smart person. He was loved by his parents and by his co-workers. One could even say Carlos lived a perfect life.

Although very young, he was already an exemplar professional and a successful doctor. And he had his whole life ahead of him, with a very promising future. Or so it seemed. In the fateful year of 1996, Carlos vanished without leaving any trace, much to the desperation of his loved-ones.

A Tragedy?

When Carlos seemingly disappeared into thin air, people expected the worst. It wasn't like him to simply go without leaving any notice. The local authorities were warned, and Carlos's friends and family were forced to suspect the harshest of realities.

There were only one or two possible explanations for this situation. Carlos must've been kidnapped or subjected to a horrible tragedy. Even at the early stages of his disappearance, many assumed he was either dead or being held captive against his will. But the elements of a different possibility were later made public.

Carlos Had a Secret

In 1996, depression was no longer a condition high on society's radar. There were treatments available for people who suffered from it, as well as medication and mental health helplines. Carlos, out of all people, was certainly aware of this. After all, he was a licensed psychologist.

But when it became public that Carlos had been suffering from acute depression, it seemed as though his friends and family didn't suspect a thing. For some reason, Carlos had been hiding his condition from everyone around him. Was it possible that he had succumbed to the dreadful disease and taken his own life?

The Police Search Lasted for 14 Years

Even when the possibility of suicide surfaced, the local authorities continued to look for Carlos everywhere. They were not alone. Strangers and friends of the 26-year-old doctor joined in to conduct thorough searches in Sevilla and the surrounding areas. They were looking for a body or a clue. They were unable to find either.

After 14 years of looking for any trace of the disappeared doctor, the authorities decided to stop. There were no suspects nor theories. In 2010, Carlos was deemed "presumably deceased."

5 Years Later

Five years after the search for Carlos was over, a group of Italian hitchhikers decided to explore the woods and find some edible mushrooms. They lived in Tuscany, a place known for its impressive Mediterranean landscapes and lush natural surroundings.

After being unable to find any mushrooms in the marked paths of the wood, they decided to take a risk and step into the deepest area of the forest. All they wanted was to find some fungus for a delicious home-cooked meal. But they ended up stumbling upon something extremely unusual.

A Campsite in the Deep Woods

The adventurous hitchhikers were displeased by what they found when they stepped off the recommended tracks. Instead of mushrooms, the ground was covered by piles of trash. They blamed it on irresponsible campers, possibly teenagers who'd tried to throw a party deep in the woods.

Then, they saw a campsite. Surrounded by rain-catching bottles, a large tarp was nailed to a tree to offer shelter and protection. It wasn't anything like your regular vacation-time tent. It seemed like something straight out of a survival show!

A Strange Forest-Man Appears

Fascinated by their finding, the Italian hitchhikers were unable to inspect the camping site. Moments after first glancing the tent, they were horrified to see a man stepping out of the tarp. According to their description, his face was dirty and covered with a long beard.

Not knowing who this man was or what he was capable of, they started running away immediately. Scared and panicked, they forgot all about their mushrooms and found the way back to the marked forest tracks. Still, they wanted to know more about this mysterious man. So they informed the local authorities.

Calling For Back-Up

It all happened in a matter of hours. Calmer and slightly embarrassed by their reaction, the hitchhikers decided to return to the campsite, now in the company of a forest ranger. When they arrived, they saw the bearded man. The forest ranger was baffled. Who was this hermit-looking loner camping in his park?

The ranger asked for explanations, and the camper was not hostile. The man said that his name was Carlos, that he was from Spain, and that he had been living in the forest for the past 20 years.

Carlos Was Not Happy

The forest ranger - finding it hard to believe in his story - asked for documentation, which they presented to him. Carlos cooperated with the authorities, but he was unhappy about having been found. He said that he wished to remain alone and said that he was going to move his camp to a different location.

There was nothing the forest ranger could do. But one of the hitchhikers decided to use his phone to take a couple of pictures of the documents. He wanted to investigate a little further into Carlos's mysterious story.

It All Sounded Like a Miracle

The Italian hitchhiker submitted the snaps of Carlos's documents to a foundation working to track and find missing persons. They could not believe their luck. Twenty years after disappearing without leaving a trace, Carlos de Salazar was spotted in the middle of a Tuscany forest!

Five years after being forced to deal with the grief of having a "presumably deceased" son, Carlos's parents were given the good news. Carlos's mother, Amelia, confirmed the authenticity of the documents and flew to Italy immediately. She was filled with immense happiness and hopefulness. It all sounded like a miracle!

Living Off Scraps

It turned out that it wasn't the first time Carlos had been spotted. Residents of the nearby towns, like Scarlino, were already familiar with the strange man. Mistaken for a homeless bum, Carlos had supposedly been living off of scraps, making the most out of leftover food he found in garbage cans.

Soon enough, the story made it to the press. It was 2015, and the tale of the missing Spanish doctor was raising some eyebrows in the news. For the first time in 20 years, Carlos's location was known. But his mystery was far from solved.

A Mediterranean Paradise

Tuscany is a paradise-like location. One of the most beautiful regions in Italy and all of the Mediterranean European countries. It is known as an ideal spot for vacations, for exploring nature, and for enjoying the Sun. But could it also be the perfect hiding spot?

At this point, it was already clear that Carlos was a man that did not want to be found. His Italian refuge was not only beautiful, but it was also perfect. With lots of inaccessible forest regions and a vast rural area, Tuscany had been his secret home for over two decades.

A Chance for Closure?

Carlos's parents were ecstatic after learning that their son was alive. But they were also puzzled by his intentions of remaining hidden. For the first time in two decades, they were able to sleep at night. But they had still not found closure.

They knew that meeting with their missing son would be a nearly impossible task. And they knew that their son was no longer the young man who had disappeared from Sevilla in 1996. But they tried to contact him anyway. All they wanted was a chance to see him once again.

On the Loose

The Italian hitchhikers responsible for finding Carlos did their best to assist the family of the former doctor. They took Carlos's parents to his last known location, only to find it completely abandoned. The traces of his presence were evident, but he seemed to have rushed out of the camping site.

Once again, Carlos de Salazar was on the loose, wholly detached from society, roaming alone somewhere in Italy. Maybe he'd even fled to a different country! His parents told the press that all they wanted was to hug him for one last time. But they were not given that chance.

No Reason For a Manhunt

The mystery of Carlos de Salazar's disappearance was uncovered at last. But as soon as he was spotted, he was once again gone. The mayor of Scarlino, Marcello Stella, promised to notify Carlos's parents if he was ever seen again in the region. But the local authorities made it clear that they would not mobilize resources to find a grown man that did not want to be found.

At the time, Carlos was 47 years old. He was certainly no longer the hopeful young psychology graduate who had left Spain two decades before. But what led him to want to continue living in such a strange manner?

The Myth of Isolation

It turns out willingly isolating yourself from society was not a new idea. In the 19th century, American writer Henry David Thoreau published a book on the matter, after spending two years living alone in the woods near Concord, Massachusetts.

Thoreau released Walden; or, Life in the Woods in 1854, and inspired a generation of loners to leave civilization behind and live in complete seclusion. Even though modern-day investigators have claimed that Thoreau's time in the woods wasn't as isolated and luxury-free as it was believed, his tale has motivated many men and women all over the world to experience life in a much simpler way.

Meet Young Everett Ruess

The first famous loner was Everett Ruess, a young man who left a small town near Utah at the age of 20 never to be seen again. Probably inspired by Thoreau's tale, Ruess decided to take his love for nature and to hitchhike and live in complete seclusion.

It was the 1930s, and most people believed Ruess wasn't adequately prepared or equipped to survive in the wild. Still, the young man didn't listen to advice and entered the wild American woods. It took until not long ago to finally solve the mystery of his disappearance.

One of U.S.'s Most Puzzling Mysteries

In 1935, a search party went after Ruess, but they found nothing. Their best clue? A group of shepherds living in the Utah desert, who claimed to have seen the young hitchhiker alive. The search party followed on this clue, but their efforts were in vain. Everett Ruess had seemingly vanished from the face of the Earth.

Sounds familiar, right? Just like Carlos, it's likely that Ruess was willingly chasing a simpler life, deep in the American desert. His mystery fueled the curious minds of investigators and enthusiasts for almost 80 years.

Modern-Day Technology Puts an End to Ruess's Mystery

It took until a few years ago to finally solve Ruess's mystery. In 1999, a National Geographic journalist revisited Ruess's final steps and compiled a comprehensive report of his whereabouts. A body was found in the desert.

Later, National Geographic published the results of a DNA test. It was conclusive. The body found in the desert belonged indeed to Everett Ruess and was confirmed by saliva samples taken from his closest living relatives. With the help of the University of Colorado, the National Geographic investigation put an end to a decades-long enigma.

The Real Mystery

Was Everett Ruess's mystery really about identifying his dead body? Or was it about something much deeper? Most people would agree there's nothing worse than the idea of being alone, of having no friends or company in this world. But men like Carlos de Salazar and Everett Ruess seem to contradict this notion.

What made these two young men run away from society? Deny a future that seemed so bright? Is life in the city designed to make us happy? Or are we just programmed to believe that society is inherently good for us?

Nature is a Cure

Even though lifelong isolation is not in the plans of most people, a relaxing time in the woods seems to have real consequences on one's health. The buzzing life of the city can take a toll on our health, both physically and mentally.

Cognitive psychologist David Strayer, from the University of Utah, has presented evidence that a tired brain can be restored by being in contact with nature. Simultaneously, nature therapy (also known as ecotherapy) has been prescribed by doctors all over the world as a way of helping to treat severe conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression.

Is Society Overly Frivolous?

There are multiple reasons to run into the woods. But what about the reasons to run away from the city life? Maybe Carlos and Ruess were not trying to get closer to nature. Perhaps they were just trying to escape an overly frivolous society.

Now, more than ever, city life revolves around material things. We work hard to get money, and we want money because we want things. When we consider it, our whole existence is based around materialistic notions, like getting a house, a car, fine clothes, a better job. So, why do most of us stick around? Are we being overly frivolous?

In the End, We Stick Around For the People

There's no denying that modern-day society is more materialistic than ever. But sticking around has nothing to do with mere things. The real object of our life is love. Being around people is what makes us want to continue spending time amongst other human beings. And human connections are the real passion that drives our daily lives.

Even being alone is about connecting. Not with someone else, but with yourself. What drove Henry David Thoreau to spend two years living alone in the woods? A need to rediscover his own identity, to get closer to his own humanity.

Driven By Depression?

So far, it's impossible to know for sure why Carlos has decided not to return to his loving parents. But it's highly likely that his disappearance was linked to his depression diagnosis. One of the most common traits amongst depressed patients is the urge to abandon everything and run away.

Most people stick around because of their families. Without a wife and children, Carlos was probably less inclined to stay. Additionally, he made the mistake of keeping his depressive feelings all to himself, not opening up to other doctors or friends. In a way, he was already alone, even before leaving.

Lost in Paradise

Curious as we are, we hope someday Carlos himself can return to civilization and expose the true motives behind his isolation. After spending two decades living in the beautiful woods of Tuscany, in Italy, he has chosen to remain isolated. At this point, he could be anywhere.

Five years after being found by mushroom foragers, Carlos's mystery is still not solved. On the contrary, it became an even denser enigma. But when considering the reasons that lead someone to abandon society completely, there's a famous name that's impossible to ignore.

Meet Into the Wild's Chris McCandless

Arguably the most famous nomad ever, Chris McCandless, was an American hiker who decided to leave everything behind to live a simpler lifestyle. After graduating from college in 1990, he became an adventurer, exploring the American continent on foot, with nothing but his clothes and a will to live off the land.

In trying to understand men like Carlos, who have chosen complete isolation over the comforts of society, McCandless's example is crucial. His tale was well-documented in the non-fiction book Into the Wild, and it's as inspiring as it is tragic.

A Well-Known Figure in Pop Culture

Ever since author Jon Krakauer published Into the Wild in 1996, McCandless's name has been part of the pop culture. His unique tale has inspired countless young men and women all over the world and was even converted into a highly-celebrated motion picture.

In 2007, the movie Into the Wild was released. Directed by Sean Penn and with Emile Hirsch in the leading role, it allowed the tale of McCandless to reach an even higher number of people. But what was it that made McCandless's story resonate so deeply with the audience?

A Happy Guy All the Way

Part of what made so many people fall in love with McCandless's iconic journey was his positive spirit. When this notable adventurer decided to go from warm California to freezing Alaska, he made sure he did it on foot. This meant to go through over 2,800 miles of land, in an estimated 705 hours of traveling!

As if it wasn't crazy enough, McCandless was determined to feel as free as possible during his journey. After living his whole life tied up by society's shackles, he made sure he was subjected to nothing but his good spirit during his great American adventure.

Getting Rid of Everything

McCandless was a regular middle-class kid with access to money and even a car. But he decided to leave everything behind when he started his journey. The $24k he had saved in the bank seemed like a limitation to his freedom. So he donated the entire sum to the Oxfam America foundation before leaving.

During his trip, he did his best to live off the land. Additionally, he counted on the support of some good-intended strangers. Whenever he needed money, he worked in restaurants and farms all across the U.S. His most extravagant purchase? A canoe!

McCandless's Famous Canoe

When McCandless stumbled upon the Colorado River, he had a crazy idea. Instead of traveling by bus or train, he decided to get an eco-friendly canoe. His canoe trip down the river makes for one of the most exciting scenes of the Into the Wild movie. But it proved too dangerous, even for our fearless adventurer.

When he realized that traveling by water was not going to be a viable solution, he decided to get back on foot. Just like he had no issues with leaving his comfortable college kid life behind, he saw no issues in abandoning his trusted canoe.

Reaching Alaska

During his journey, McCandless met many strangers who were fascinated by his adventure. Eventually, he decided to introduce himself as "Alexander Supertramp," a new moniker that fitted way better with his new lifestyle.

In 1992, after catching a ride from an electrician, he reached his final destination. Right before him, in all of its glory, was the profoundly unexplored landscape of Alaska. McCandless was happy, even though most people thought he was crazy. With nothing but a backpack and a few hitchhiking items, was McCandless going to be able to endure life in the relentless state of The Last Frontier?

A Shelter, or a Grave?

Ignoring all warnings, McCandless decided to step deep into Alaska. A place of incredible natural beauty, Alaska is also home to numerous wild animals, dangerous poisonous plants, and thousands of miles of inhabited land.

Surviving in Alaska seemed like an overwhelming task. Still, McCandless could not believe his luck when he found an abandoned bus right in the middle of an inhospitable field. Realizing things could not get any better, he decided to settle in. But was this abandoned bus going to be a suitable shelter or McCandless's dying grave?

McCandless's Final Days

Thanks to McCandless's annotations, we know this is the bus where the young American adventurer spent his final days. Soon enough, he realized that he was stranded in the middle of Alaska, with no safe path to lead him out. Ironically, McCandless's free-living trip ended up in a cold, deserted enclosure.

His cause of death was most likely starvation, with some, including author Jon Krakauer, believing it was brought on by poisoning. A local hunter discovered his decomposing body in September 1992. It was the tragic end of one of the U.S.'s most remarkable real adventure stories.

A Lasting Final Message

Today, the bus where McCandless spent his final days is sometimes visited by thrill-seeking travelers. There, this simple metal plaque was placed. It features one of McCandless's last known annotations: "happiness is only real when shared."

From California to Alaska, McCandless chose to live alone and isolate himself from society. But in the end, he realized it all wasn't worth it without someone else by his side. Will Carlos de Salazar ever reach the same conclusion?