A woman who got lost and wandered around the Arizona forest survived nine long days before being rescued thanks to a ‘HELP’ sign she manage to make. The search for the woman identified as Ann Rodgers began last week when she was left stranded by her car on her way to Phoenix.
Rodgers was set to go to Phoenix in order to visit her grandchildren, yet after running out of gas in the road near Canyon Creek she started her long venture alongside her dog. According to officials involved in the rescue mission, she was able to survive thanks to her survival instinct that led her to drink any sort of water she could find.
In addition, she had to look for plants to eat or insects given that she and her dog spend over a week without a proper meal. Rodgers’ car was found three days later after she had already ventured into the Arizona wilderness in look for help, said the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Even though Ann Rodgers had to figure out how to survive in the Arizona forest on the White River Indian Reservation, at least she had her dog to accompany her during their passage.
And it was thanks to Rodgers’ dog that was found by authorities only three days ago that rescuers got a lead on her possible location. After the Department of Public Safety authorized a flight overlook of the scene, the flight crew amazingly found Rodgers’ sign for help. The help sign was made out of wood sticks and stones although it lacked a larger size, however, the flight crew flying across the search perimeter were able to see it.
Staying by her car was never an option
When authorities reached the help sign made by Rodgers, she was nowhere to be seen. Rescuers found Rodgers, later on, proceeding down the canyon near the Fort Apache Reservation, officials said. 72-year-old Ann Rogers proved to be tough for an elderly woman as she managed to survive over a week only on pond water and plants from the Arizona wilderness.
According to officials from the state’s Department of Public Safety Rodgers was found without severe harm and has been already released from the hospital. She was taken to the hospital considering she spent nine days in the wilderness with no drinkable water in sight or food, yet was found to be in stable conditions.
Oddly enough, officials are still trying to determine how Rodgers ended up getting lost in the Arizona forest, as the drive from Tucson to Phoenix is a straight shot through the Interstate 10. Nevertheless, taking Rodgers’ age into account as well as the unforgivable Arizona sun, the wilderness got the best of Rodgers.
Fortunately for the 72-year-old and her dog, Ann Rodgers from Tucson knows how to take care of herself, even in a remote location such as the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.
Source: ABC News