‘Miracle story’: Woman, 64, found clinging to tree on steep slope hours after disappearance
RENO, Nev. (Gray News) - Firefighters in Nevada said a woman was rescued hours after going missing when a member of a search party found her clinging to a tree.
KOLO reports Gayle Stewart, 64, was found stranded on a steep slope near Caughlin Ranch Monday night. She had been missing since 10 a.m.
Stewart’s family organized a search party for her, and a friend of her son found her 300 to 400 feet off a road clinging to a tree in a steep area.
“Actually kind of a miracle story,” Battalion Chief Seth Williams said. “The son called up some friends to start searching for her, and one of the boys just decided to head off this cliff thinking maybe she fell down there and found her clinging to a tree. He said the last thing she said was ‘help’ and then didn’t talk anymore.”
A rescue team of about 28 people arrived and used a rope system to pull Stewart to safety.
“That’s what I told the young man that found her, I said, “That’s truly a lifesaver.” With the rain and the snow coming tonight, she’s already been exposed for the better part of 12 hours. It could have been a very different outcome had he not found her when he did,” Williams said.
Stewart was taken to a warm ambulance and later taken to an area hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
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