Victoria Grover Survives Four Days Lost In Utah Desert, 'I Had Faith I Would Be Found'
Victoria Grover went through the ordeal of a lifetime after she suffered through hunger and a pain from a broken leg while stranded alone in the Utah's wilderness.
Grover was hiking back to her car after spending the morning at theDixie National Forest in Gardfield County. She took a slight leap of a small ledge and landed the wrong way on her leg, which broke just above her ankle.
I was working my way back to the trail head and I jumped about three or four feet and there was a rock under the sand, it hit my leg and I had a broken leg, she said, reported FOX 13 Salt Lake City.
It was difficult for her to continue, so she used a walking stick and created a splint. She crawled about 30 years to Sand Creek in order to rehydrate.
But her troubles were just beginning. She only packed a few light snacks with her, expecting it to be a leisurely hike. The 59-year-old only planned to hike 6 miles on Tuesday in Dixie National Forest, reported the AP. However, now she was in danger without any substantial food or shelter.
The hunger is something that comes in waves, Grover said, reported the Associated Press. You get hungry and want to eat everything and then it goes away. The worst thing is the cold. It never warmed up except for a few hours in the afternoon.
Grover also said the monotony of the days and terrible boredom was also difficult to endure. She recited poetry and played mind games to help pass the time. She stayed out in the sun during the day, by sleeping in the shape and stayed awake when the sun set in order to stay alive.
However, Grover used her knowledge from a survival class she took while attending Brigham Young University nearly 40 years ago. She stayed out in the sun during the day, by sleeping in the shape and stayed awake when the sun set in order to stay alive.She curled up in a poncho in order to stay warm,
But last night, the effects of hypothermia began to set in.
I certainly could have died out there because I had hypothermia and I stopped shivering, said Grover. Grover also said she began to pray, believing someone would find her. I had faith I would be found and I also by that point, I was at peace, that whatever happened would be okay.
The last night was the worst, Grover added. Overnight temperatures reached the low to mid 30s throughout most of her ordeal, reported the Herald Extra.
On Thursday, the Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch where Grover was staying called the police after they had not heard from her. They searched her room and discovered a rental car receipt. The police department was able to track Grover's vehicle to Hell's Backbone road, reported Fox.
Fearing the worst, search and rescues teams tirelessly searched for Grover for several days. A Utah highway Patrol helicopter finally spotted her around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. She was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment for exposure and her broken leg.
What a relief and how excited we were to find her alive, said Mike Ahlstrom, a member of the Garfield County sheriff's search and rescue team, reported the Associated Press. She was in amazing condition for spending four days without food.
Dr. Daniel Allen, who is treating Grover at the Valley View Medical Center in Cedar City, said he expects Grover will make a full recovery.
I'm sure she'll be hiking again, Allen said, reported the AP. He also said her type 2 diabetes had impact on her blood sugar levels or the accident.
On Saturday night, Grover had her first meal after suffering through the ordeal, but remained thankful for everything.
Before that, I was dreaming of oranges, which is one of my favorite foods, she said. But there are people who can go for weeks and weeks without food in this world. We have it easy in America.
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