A man listed among 144 victims of a major flood in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1976 was found to be alive about a year ago, the Fort Collins Coloradoan reported recently. 

Darrell Johnston, who is now 63, said he had no idea he had been listed among the dead.  Locals assumed Johnston had perished in the flood because he had rented a cabin at a resort that was washed away in the disaster. 

However, Johnston said that he had decided to take his family and leave the cabin a day before the flood, despite having paid for it, because of the poor condition of the dwelling. 

The town only learned of Johnston's escape from catastrophe because residents wanted to try everything to confirm the deaths of the missing people before hanging a memorial plaque with the names of the victims.