In a remarkable tale of survival and canine loyalty, a 72-year-old woman was found alive in a Maine woodland, lying near her deceased husband's body after the couple lost their way during a hike.
The woman, Pamela Helmstadter, endured four nights in the wilderness, with her faithful black lab, Lucy, sleeping on her chest to provide warmth.
According to The New York Post, the couple from Alexander in Washington County had strayed from their walking trail, leading to their unfortunate predicament. Pamela was discovered approximately 200 yards from her husband, John Helmstadter, 82, with Lucy still diligently guarding her.
Maine Warden Service Sgt. Josh Beal recounted the touching scene upon finding Pamela. "When the K-9 team located her, her dog was being very protective of her and even laid down on top of her on her chest, he said. Sgt. Beal suggested that Lucy's nightly ritual of sleeping on Pamela's chest may have been instrumental in her survival.
Pamela braved freezing temperatures, plummeting as low as 28 degrees, and persistent rain during her ordeal. By the time the search team found her, she was suffering from severe hypothermia. The exact time of John's death remains unclear.
The couple's ordeal began when John fell and was unable to get up after they had veered off the trail. Pamela, who had left her cellphone at home, decided to seek help but became disoriented and lost her way. "She was more physically capable than he was, and they made the decision for him to stay put and her to try and go out and find help, Sgt. Beal explained.
The search for the couple was initiated when a vigilant neighbor noticed an uncollected package on their front porch and one of their two dogs returning home alone. The neighbor promptly alerted the police.
Pamela later told authorities that she had lost hope of being found alive until she heard the sound of search helicopters overhead. When discovered, her body temperature was a mere 90.7 degrees, and she was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.
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