A Christmas miracle recently occurred after a brave mother hiked 36 hours through heavy snow and ice to save her family. NBC News reports that 46-year-old Karen Klein isn’t only a triathlete, she’s considered to be a hero by many – particularly her husband, Eric, and their son.
During a family Christmas vacation, the trio was en route to the Grand Canyon National Park when a blizzard suddenly struck. Despite the dangerous road conditions, the family continued traveling down national park roads until their vehicle became stuck near the North Rim.
With few supplies in the vehicle, Karen knew one of them needed to venture out into the cold to find help. Because she had taken survival courses at their home in Pennsylvania, the heroic mother was confident she could handle the elements. With a cell phone in hand and the major supplies in tow, she set out.
She didn’t intend to travel as far as she did, but pressed onward because roads were closed due to the blizzard. At mile 10, she reached the highway which was uninhabited. So, she continued to travel on foot toward the park entrance, grateful for the signs that guided her. Klein ate tree twigs and melted snow to remain hydrated and continued hiking even though she pulled a muscle near her hip after she lost a shoe due to compacted snow. She told the press that she had to “physically pick it up and put it forward.”
Eventually, Karen found an uninhabited residence for park rangers and broke in. There, she rested. Meanwhile, back at the car, Eric became worried and exited the vehicle to seek cell phone reception – which he found. After contacting rescue workers and relaying he and his son’s location, all three were rescued and moved to a hospital.
Despite some frostbite to their appendages (mainly Karen’s toes), the family is in good health.
They say attitude is everything, and it certainly helped Karen hike 26 miles. She recalls,
“I kept thinking ‘this is not the way I’m going to go’. I can’t leave my son without a mom. I can’t leave my husband without a wife. I’m not letting my parents bury me. I just won’t.”
Survival specialists recommend staying sheltered in the case of being stranded. Fortunately, in this case, no major accident occurred and all three were rescued. Please comment your thoughts below and share this news!
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