Miracles do happen
Posted on 12/24/2008 12:03:03 PM PST by Stoat
Freezing: Donna Molner is taken to hospital after four days in the snow
Donna Molnar, 55, set off from home in Ancaster, Ontario, on Friday but her car got stuck in a field of snow drifts.
The vehicle was found a day later, abandoned by the side of a road.
By this time, fears for her survival were mounting and it was not until Monday, when police officer Ray Lau was trudging through almost knee-high snow, that his dog Ace picked up the woman's scent.
Officer Lau was stunned to find Mrs Molnar still breathing.
He said: "When I came up to her she was covered in snow, just her face and her neckline was exposed. I was surprised she was alive."
Mrs Molnar was wearing a simple winter jacket and she had been buried in snow just a few hundred yards from where her car had been found.
Police believe the snow's insulating effect was what kept her alive.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.sky.com ...
Miracles do happen
Lucky woman
Thank God she’s alive. The smart thing to do would be to stay in the car, though. They would have found her sooner.
Christmas Miracle ping
Merry Christmas!
Glad she’s alive, but I don’t understand why people in cold climates don’t carry emergency gear in their vehicles. A sleeping bag and some high energy food would have turned this into a campout instead of a near tragedy.
Happy Christmas to her!
Thanks for the ping, Stoat!
Merry Christmas!
On the radio report, the searchers said they couldn't believe it, as they were freezing, just looking for her.
> Probably would have died of exposure. Cars don’t retain heat worth a durn.
They do have motors, horns, and heaters tho’.
And if you keep your petrol tank full (as you should in Winter anyway, to prevent condensation and to give your vehicle more weight) the motor and heater can keep you toasty warm for a long, long time if you don’t run it nonstop.
And the horn makes a great signaling device: three long, three short, three long would do the trick.
I work in Ancaster - this was just blocks away. I also got stuck trying to get home. Thankfully, the guys from the shop were in a vehicle not far behind and saw me (I had pulled off the road), and got me out. It was a terrible storm.
We were all very happy and stunned that she was found alive. She had left her car to cross a field, as her home was just on the other side.
She was in critical condition in hospital last I heard, and will likely lose a few digits.
> Pile snow over one and pretty fast the gap under it between the wheels is a conduit for your exhaust to injest into your AC system. You die even faster then.
You might be surprised. On modern engines with all that pollution control crap it can be genuinely difficult to produce enough carbon monoxide to kill anything.
I’ve got a mate who used to humane-trap Australian possums (they’re pests here) and then gas them with the exhaust from his old Toyota ute. Worked a treat.
Then he got one of these new SUVs, and tried to gas possums with that. It didn’t work at all, not even after an hour.
Global Warming!
Bush’s fault.
I was running late that day and could not depend on help along that stretch of road. I knew I was in trouble
As soon as I got out of the hills, I called my boss and aoorised him of my situation. I shut off the heater and all the lights I could shut off.
About 15 miles from work, the car began to gut out. I called again to let the boss know. He asked if I needed help, but I told him i would try to make it.
Earlier, I had passed one other car and I hoped he was coming through, not many places to go along there, so there was a good chance. My lights finally went out, and in the ice fog, Ididn't know for sure where I was, but as long as I was on the roadf,I was headed the right way.
The car finally quit about 10 miles from work. As soon as it stopped, I got my winter boots and Parka on (I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM IN WINTER).
Just like in the movies, that's when I noticed my cell phone was just about dead, I called in one more time to ask for help, but about that time a truck came around the corner and stopped, offering me a ride. (God bless Alaskans)
That's when the car I had passed earlier pulled up. It turned out to be an electrician from work, so i rode in with him.
To his vredit, the other fellow waited until he was sure I had a ride before he left. God bless him and all those who rend assistance to travelers.
My main point here is that I was PREPARED to walk if I had to. Thank God I did not have to, that time. 50 below zero is not to be taken lightly. The cold will KILL you and never look back.
PS: And " bleep" these modern electronic cars with all their computers, fancy accessories, etc. They are battery eaters. In the old days, a dfead alternator would have meant a cold ride, that is all. The battery would have been enough to make the trip, without an alternator, and probably still start the car.
/johnny
It will run for about 5 hours on one cylinder and has a low oxygen shut off, so you can use it in enclosed spaces. Never leave home without it. They cost less thasn $100.00. Cheap!!!!
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