72-Year-Old Woman Survived 9 Days in Arizona Wilderness by Drinking Pond Water, Eating Plants

[Demonaut]

Source: ABC news



http://abcnews.go.com/US/72-year-woman-survived-days-arizona-wilderness-drinking/story?id=38343309



"A 72-year-old woman who got lost in the Arizona wilderness survived for nine days by drinking pond water and eating plants and was only rescued after spelling out "help" with sticks and rocks on the canyon floor, officials said. "


"Under one of the rocks in the distress signal was a hand-written message, dated April 3, saying that Rodgers was running out of food and water and that she was "proceeding down the canyon"




Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/72-year-woman-survived-days-arizona-wilderness-drinking/story?id=38343309

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She's amazing!

[truthisfreedom]

1. Very cool.

I love stories with happy endings.

[Shrike47]

2. I'm glad it was April and not June. At least there were ponds, still.

People sometimes display amazing stamina under difficult circumstances. Good on her!

[procon]

3. What a strong and determined woman she is.

I don't think I would have made it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Never give up and never give up thinking. . . nt

[Peace Patriot]

5. Yes, amazing, and I'm glad she made it! But she broke some safety rules.

Lessons for us all:

Running out of gas in a wilderness area. Having insufficient drinking water in the car in a wilderness area. Leaving her car in a wilderness area with no message as to her direction or purpose. Leaving her car without marking a path back to it. Wandering around at random, lost, rather than hunkering down right away near a "Help" message. (She did hunker down near her "Help" message eventually.) Not leaving arrows when she changed directions in her wandering.

She is very, very, very lucky! Good she had her dog with her. It must have been a help and comfort to her during her dreadful ordeal. And it was her dog who saved her in the end. Dog was spotted first. That intensified the search. She did keep her wits about her, though--despite the safety mistakes. She wrote the "Help" message and stayed not far from it. And when they found her, she was lighting a signal fire for the helicopter. That is amazing after so many days of deprivation.

You have to have some experience of wilderness areas to know that you may well not find your way back to an abandoned car or other marker. Vision can be very tricky in that circumstance. Go over one little hill and the marker disappears and everything around you looks the same in every direction. If you aren't marking sun position, etc., or even if you are, you can get totally disoriented. Leave markers and messages from the first step you take away from an abandoned car!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. +1

[enough]

9. another +1 (nt)

[NJCher]

11. all excellent points, Peace Patriot

For those of us who don't wander out in the wilderness much, it's definitely good to know.


Cher

[ailsagirl]

6. That is amazing

What an ordeal!! I'm glad she had her faithful friend by her side.

[greymouse]

7. yeah, the doggie survived!

[Major Nikon]

10. I've always said that every pint of water you pack is one less day of drinking your own pee

[Judi Lynn]

12. Resourceful, brave, and terrific!

[center]

Just before being lifted out to the local hospital for treatment.



It's the puppeh, after being rescued. [/center]