In a harrowing ordeal in the Maine wilderness, a woman was rescued after being lost for several days alongside her loyal black Labrador, Lucy. Officials believe the dog played a crucial role in keeping her warm during the ordeal, which tragically ended with the death of her husband.
Pamela Helmstadter, 72, and her husband, John Helmstadter, 82, ventured into the woods near their home in Alexander last week, leaving behind their cellphones. According to the Maine Warden Service, the couple lost their way after straying from a marked trail. In an unfortunate turn of events, John fell and was unable to rise, prompting Pamela to seek help.
Disoriented and unable to find her way back, Pamela spent four nights in freezing conditions, with nighttime temperatures plummeting between 26 and 44 degrees Fahrenheit. She was found “severely hypothermic but alert” with Lucy by her side on Thursday afternoon, more than a mile from their home. Tragically, John was discovered deceased about 200 yards away shortly thereafter.
Sgt. Josh Beal of the Warden Service reported that Lucy was exceptionally protective of Pamela, even laying atop her to provide warmth during the cold nights. “It sounds like that’s what the dog would do at night as well,” he explained to Portland news station WMTW. When Pamela was located, her body temperature measured at a dangerously low 90.7 degrees Fahrenheit, and she had lost hope of being rescued until the sound of a Warden Service plane overhead reached her ears.
Concerned neighbors, noticing an uncollected package on the Helmstadters’ porch, alerted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, prompting the search for the couple.
In an interview from the hospital, Pamela reflected on her grim situation, expressing regret for not bringing a cellphone along for their walk. “I knew if I wasn’t found that day, I wasn’t going to survive,” she told ABC News. After her husband fell, the couple decided that Pamela, being more physically capable, should try to get help. She recalled telling him, “I’ll come back for you as soon as I find out where we are.” To survive the days without food, she resorted to eating “peat moss.”
Amid her relief at being found, Pamela shared her profound grief over her husband’s death. “We were married for 31 years, and we had a good life together,” she said, capturing the heart-wrenching nature of their experience.
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