A St. John's man who had been missing since last weekend has been found alive and safe after surviving on berries for several days.

Jonathan Hannaford, 34, was reported missing after an Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer found his car on the side of the Outer Ring Road in St. John's early Sunday morning.

"I just saw my son, and gave him the biggest hug in the world," his father, Brian Hannaford, told CBC News early Wednesday morning.

"I went nuts, trembling and shaking. It's the best news ever."

'It's the best news ever,' Brian Hannaford said after his son was found safe. (Geoff Bartlett/CBC)

Brian Hannaford on his son being found alive 4:18

Brian Hannaford said his son called him just after 3 a.m. from St. John's International Airport.

He told his son to stay put until police arrived to pick him up.

"I said, 'They won't hurt you, they won't harm you, they're there to help you'," he said.

"He said, 'OK, I'll come outside there and they can come and get me.'"

RNC Const. Steve Curnew said police received a tip shortly before getting a call from Brian Hannaford that his son was at the airport.

Curnew said someone had spotted Jonathan Hannaford in the Airport Heights neighbourhood, sparking another search involving the K-9 unit.

Had been camping out in search area

Brian Hannaford said his son had been in wooded areas around Airport Heights and Pippy Park the whole time, sleeping in a tent and living off berries.

Searchers had been looking in that area, and had even used helicopters in the search. Brian Hannaford said his son had heard the helicopters, but thought the sound was from nearby traffic.

According to Brian Hannaford, his son has high levels of anxiety and tries to avoid people, and didn't even think anyone was looking for him.

"He just left. He had no blankets, no pillow and just his dirty old clothes there," said Hannaford.

"He's that tired he said he just wants to go to sleep."

Brian Hannaford, who said a note was also found in his son's vehicle last Sunday, was with his son on Friday, when the two took Theodore, Jonathan's three-year-old son, to Butter Pot Park.

He said after officers found Jonathan Hannaford's vehicle, it was discovered that it had stopped working due to an electrical issue.

Jonathan Hannaford's blue Ford Mustang was located on the side of the Outer Ring Road on Sunday. Police said the keys and a written note were discovered near the car. (CBC)

After being found early Wednesday morning, Jonathan Hannaford was taken to hospital for examination, and his father hopes he will be able to get effective treatment to deal with his anxiety.

"I'll have to get him on a good healthy way now, eating and getting his life together," he said.

"It can't be like it was in the past; he's got to know that people love him."