A man in Alaska survived three days in the wilderness in sub-zero temperatures and miraculously fought off a wolverine, ABC News reported.

Craig Johnson was on his way to visit family for the holidays on Dec. 15 when his snowmobile fell through the ice.

"I almost gave up ... But I couldn't give up. I had to do it for my boys, my family," he said about when he found himself lost in remote Alaska. "I think it's a miracle that I'm alive."

The 38-year-old family man was on an 80-mile trek when his snowmobile fell through the ice and he had to crawl while his vehicle sank.

Johnson then walked for 30 miles in icy clothes searching for shelter and was nearly killed by a wolverine. He defended himself against the beast with a stick and stumbled upon a wooden box which he later used as shelter.

"Everything happened so fast," he said.

Johnson was reported missing and helicopters searched for him but kept missing him.

"That third night when they passed right by me -- not even 200, 300 yards -- that's when I lost hope," Johnson said. "I just laid back down in that box I was in. It just felt like that was an open grave for me."

Then a search team led by Johnson's cousin found him.

"It doesn't matter the conditions, I had to go. That's my cousin," said Clifford Benson.

"If Clifford didn't see me, that was going to be my last night," Johnson said. "They were going to bring me home in a body bag."

Benson recalled hearing his cousin screaming for his life.

In 1998, Johnson's father too fell through the ice but drowned. His tragic death gave Johnson the will to survive.

After surviving sub-zero temperatures for three days, Johnson was treated for frostbite, hypothermia, dehydration and internal injuries, Mirror reported.

Benson works for the North Slope Borough Search and Rescue Department and said his team used every resource they could to find Johnson.