ALEXANDER, Maine (WMTW) – A 72-year-old Maine woman was rescued after spending four nights in the woods where she and her 82-year-old husband got lost while walking their dogs. Rescuers also recovered her husband’s body.
Pamela Helmstadter, 72, was rescued Thursday after spending four nights in the woods in Washington County, Maine. Her ordeal started Sunday when she and her husband, 82-year-old John Helmstadter, went for a walk with their two dogs and ended up lost. Sadly, he died in the incident.
Game wardens say the couple went off trail during their walk, and that’s when John Helmstadter fell and was unable to get up. Neither of them had their cell phones, so Pamela Helmstadter went for help. She got disoriented and couldn’t find her way home.
“She was more physically capable than he was, and they made the decision for him to stay put and her to try and go out and find help,” said Sgt. Josh Beal with the Maine Warden Service.
Officials say both Helmstadters may have died if it hadn’t been for an observant neighbor who alerted police Wednesday about a package left on the couple’s porch. The neighbor thought it was odd that a day later, the package was still there and even odder when one of the couple’s dogs returned home but there was no sign of them.
The search for the missing couple began that night.
Pamela Helmstadter says she had given up hope of being found – until she heard search planes flying over her five different times on Thursday. Officials say the 72-year-old was severely hypothermic when she was found about 2:30 p.m. that afternoon.
John Helmstadter’s body was found about 200 yards away from his wife.
Beal says the couple’s dog may have helped save Pamela Helmstadter’s life in the rain and cool temperatures. Her body temperature was just 90.7 degrees when she was found.
“When the K-9 team located her, her dog was being very protective of her and even laid down on top of her on her chest. It sounds like that’s what the dog would do at night, as well, to help keep her warm,” Beal said.
The 72-year-old was recovering at the hospital following her rescue, according to Beal.
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