After becoming lost on Sunday, a father and his three children were rescued today from heavy snows in northern California. The helicopter that spotted them was making its last trip before returning to base before an even heavier snowstorm arrived. The family survived three days in the deep snow and bitter cold by huddling together in a culvert under a bridge.
PARADISE, Calif. – A father and three children who vanished on a Christmas tree-cutting trip in the Northern California mountains were found alive Wednesday after huddling in a culvert for warmth during three days of heavy snow.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew spotted Frederick Dominguez waving his arms atop a small bridge and landed nearby, sinking into 2 feet of snow, flight officer David White said. White said the crew found the family on their last pass over the area as snow from another storm, even bigger than the first, started to fall heavily.
"Our hearts are all full right now," said Cory Stahl, who closed his pest control business so his employees could help look for Dominguez, an employee. "It's a very merry Christmas now."
The helicopter ferried the family to safety in two trips; Alexis, 15, and Joshua, 12, were taken out of the woods first. Dominguez, 38, smiled at cheering family and friends as he and 18-year-old Christopher emerged from the helicopter a short time later.
"I'm just amazed how well they did," Lisa Sams said after seeing her children and ex-husband for the first time since they were rescued. "It was like butterflies in my stomach, like if you were going to go on a very first date."
All four were talking and drinking hot chocolate while being checked at Feather River Hospital for dehydration, hypothermia and frostbite, treating physician Kurt Bower said. He expected them to be released later in the day.
"I'm surprised how good they are," he said. "There's a miracle from God in there somewhere."
The new storm roaring in is expected to dump an additional two feet of snow. The earlier storms had dropped more than a foot and winds had whipped up drifts as high as seven feet. Jolly little December we're having so far, isn't it?
Thankfully, those folks made it out alive.
Having a hard enough time getting the “Christmas Spirit” this year … This helped quite a bit. Can’t tell you how many mumbles of prayers I said the last couple days for this family. Dad was/is a good man. Thay seemed to have done all the right things. Next stop? Walmart for a pre-lit artificial tree, eh?
Merry Christmas, Dominguez Family and extended family … and all those who searched. Well done.
Thank You, G-d …
I did not think this would turn out so well. Still thinking of Steve Fossett and the difficulties with searching that type of terrain.
We in NJ are covered in ice and you can’t walk 2 feet without peril.
Here is a local story in the www dailyrecord com the link is longer than the story:
Rescuers form human chain to pull Denville man from icy river
Thursday, December 20, 2007
WHITE TWP. (AP) — A Denville man is safe thanks to the efforts of passersby who formed a human chain to rescue him from an icy river in Warren County.
Police say 55-year-old Nicholas Decorte was on his way to visit his wife in the hospital Wednesday when he began suffering anxiety-related chest pains. He parked along Route 46 in White Township and got out to get some fresh air.
He apparently slipped into the Pequest River while walking along the frozen riverbank around 1 p.m.
A motorist spotted him and flagged down others. State road workers and a detective with the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office linked arms and managed to pull Decorte from the shallow water.
He’s in good condition at Morristown Memorial Hospital.
I guess i’m a bit of a fanatic about this…_never_ leave civilization without some sort of survival kit. Even one of those little ones you make in an altoid can would have helped. I carry a fairly large one in all my vehicles and it has served me well. I once spent two days in a ravine during an icestorm and came out fine.