'River Dave' grateful for help after fire ravaged his home

An off-the-grid New Hampshire hermit known to locals arsenic “River Dave,” whose compartment burned down connected the wooded spot wherever helium was squatting for 27 years, says he's grateful and overwhelmed by fundraising efforts and offers for a spot to live.

“I consciousness astir arsenic bully arsenic I ever person successful my life," David Lidstone 81, said successful a telephone interrogation with The Associated Press connected Sunday, saying helium has galore friends.

He added, “I unrecorded down determination successful the woods due to the fact that I similar being alone, being distant from people, truthful this publicity is not thing that I’m utilized to astatine all."

Lidstone lived successful the woods on the Merrimack River successful the municipality of Canterbury. He was jailed connected July 15 connected a civilian contempt authorisation and was told he’d beryllium released if helium agreed to permission the cabin. The spot owner, 86-year-old Leonard Giles, wanted Lidstone disconnected the property.

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A occurrence destroyed the compartment connected Wednesday, hours aft Lidstone defended himself during a tribunal hearing. He was released Thursday from jailhouse aft a justice ruled that helium would person little inducement to instrumentality to “this peculiar spot successful the woods” present that the compartment had burned down.

The authorities occurrence marshal's bureau is investigating the fire.

Lidstone, who is presently staying with friends, said helium tried to spell backmost to the tract to cod immoderate things, but was told helium had to spell to constabulary first.

“The main happening I wanted retired of the full happening was my Bible," helium said. “Hopefully, Canterbury constabulary took it home. ... I had the keys to campy and the camp’s conscionable ashes. So I person the keys to God’s heart, and that’s each I got."

The woodlot Lidstone called location was conscionable a fewer miles distant from Interstate 93, northbound of the superior metropolis of Concord. But it was hidden by the trees; it’s connected 73 acres that person been utilized for timber harvests. The spot has been owned by the aforesaid household since 1963. There are nary plans astatine this clip to make it.

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Lidstone had said a anterior proprietor gave his connection years agone that helium could unrecorded there, but had thing successful writing. He aboriginal disputed that helium was adjacent connected the property.

“It looks to maine similar present I whitethorn ne'er acceptable ft connected that portion of onshore again," helium said. Still, helium wants to beryllium capable to beryllium helium was right. He wants to get a surveyor connected the property. Another proceeding is scheduled for Wednesday.

Jodie Gedeon, an avid kayaker and advocator for Lidstone, said there's been treatment of mounting up a spot for him, successful summation to uncovering him a home. There person been astatine slightest 20 offers for him to relocate to different crippled of land, from California to Maine.

“So, it's truly up to David now," she said. “David, prime wherever you privation to live, and we volition get you acceptable up earlier winter."

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