Woman, 76, found after 2 weeks in wild
BAKER CITY, Ore. - A 76-year-old woman was found alive in the mountains Thursday, nearly two weeks after she disappeared while on a hunting trip with her husband, authorities said.
Ora Doris Anderson had suffered a hip injury and was dehydrated, but she was conscious and alert, the Baker County Sheriff's Office said. A helicopter team went to the scene to extricate her from the rugged terrain, and she was to be airlifted to a Baker City hospital.
George Winn, the CEO of St. Elizabeth Health Services, said Anderson was in critical, but stable condition and was being admitted to the intensive care unit.
Authorities had largely given up hope of finding Anderson, who was lightly dressed in an area where temperatures had tipped into the 30s over the past two weeks. About 70 volunteers a day combed the Wallowa Mountain of Eastern Oregon until the search was scaled back in late August.
Anderson, who goes by Doris, had last been seen Aug. 24 in the Eagle Creek area, where she had gone bow hunting with her 74-year-old husband, Harold.
The Andersons had driven into the rugged mountains and canyons in a Chevy Tahoe pulling a utility trailer. The vehicle got stuck, and Harold Anderson broke his wrist while unloading an all-terrain vehicle from the trailer.
The couple tried to walk to a U.S. Forest Service road for help but became exhausted. Harold Anderson said his wife headed back for the vehicle. A hunting party later found a disoriented Harold Anderson, but there was no sign of his wife.
A Baker County deputy and an Oregon State Police trooper found his wife around 2 p.m. Thursday in an area that had already been searched.
Iris Anderson, 71, who is married to Harold's brother, Melvin, credited Ora Doris Anderson's survival to prayer and Anderson's healthy lifestyle.
"How she managed to live for two weeks at the bottom of canyon, I don't know," Anderson said.
(This version CORRECTS the location of the hospital the woman was taken to.)
2 hours, 57 minutes ago
Married for 55 years, and credits a healthy lifestyle to her survival, husband says he is never going hunting again. And just stay home with his wife!
posted by LadyIrene @ 9/07/2007 10:38:00 AM
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