Woman, 72, used dog for warmth at night after being stranded in wilderness for 4 days
Woman, 72, used dog for warmth at night after being stranded in Wilderness for 4 days
Maine Warden Service
A 72-year-old woman has miraculously been found alive after spending four days lost in a Maine forest with her dog.
Pamela Helmstadter was found last Thursday afternoon in Washington County, whilst her 82-year-old husband, John Helmstadter, was discovered deceased less than 200 yards away.
The couple had set out for a walk with their dog on Sunday morning, following trails behind their home in Alexander.
Tragically, the outing took a dire turn when John fell and was unable to get up.
Woman, 72, used dog for warmth at night after being stranded in Wilderness for 4 daysMaine Warden ServiceWithout her mobile phone, Pamela made the difficult decision to leave John and seek help.
Maine Warden Service Sergeant Josh Beal explained: "She was more physically capable than he was, and they made the decision for him to stay put and her to go out and find help."
However, Pamela became disoriented in the dense forest and could not find her way back home.
The couple's absence went unnoticed for several days until a neighbour spotted an uncollected package on their porch.
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Pamela Helmstadter was suffering from hypothermia when found
Maine Warden Service
The neighbour also noticed that one of the couple's dogs had returned home without them, raising further concerns.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife launched a search operation early on Thursday.
That afternoon, a game warden and his K-9 unit located Pamela, who was suffering from hypothermia.
The couple's dog, a black lab, is understood to have played a crucial role in Pamela's survival.
John Helmstadter was discovered deceased less than 200 yards away from his wife
Maine Warden Service
Beal said: "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."
"It sounds like that's what the dog would do at night as well to help keep her warm."
Pamela remained alert during her rescue and was promptly taken to hospital.
Beal added: "It rained all day Monday, we had cooler temperatures.
"Wednesday night, it was 27 to 28 degrees.
"She did very well to survive for that long."
Pamela told authorities she'd given up hope of being found alive until hearing search planes overhead on Thursday.
When rescued, Pamela was severely hypothermic, with her body temperature at just 90.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
She is now recovering in hospital.
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