Minnesota Teen Has Slept In His Backyard For 3 Years

boy reading in tent in side yard of house

Photo: Getty Images

A Minnesota teen has been sleeping beneath the star's in his backyard for almost 3 years.

14-year-old Isaac Ortman has slept in his backyard for more than 1,000 nights. It started as a self-challenge at his family's cabin 30 miles from home when he was 11, and now it has turned into a nightly routine that Isaac doesn't plan on giving up anytime soon. “I might even keep going through college,” Isaac, who is a Boy Scout, told the Washington Post. “It’s a lot of fun and I’m not ready to stop.”

Andrew Ortman, Isaac's father, said Isaac did a lot of research to find the best equipment to keep warm and safe outside during different seasons. “He found a waterproof hammock to string up in the yard, and he has a couple of sleeping bags, under-quilts and over-quilts that he can add depending on how cold it is,” Andrew said. “He has a great system.”

He added that his son even insisted on sleeping outside after he broke his left wrist in an accident this month. “We came home from the emergency room, and I went back outside like I always do,” Isaac said. “It’s like the time we saw a bear walk up to our patio door. Thirty minutes later, I was brushing my teeth and getting ready to go to sleep outside.”

“He never gets tired of it — every night is a new adventure,” Andrew said.


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