Penny Kay Clark, Missing Idaho driver, 72, survives 4 days at bottom of canyon ravine after failing to return to her Nampa home after running an errand.
How did she survive? An elderly Idaho resident who seemingly vanished while running an errand has been found alive, four days after her vehicle tumbling down a ravine.
Penny Kay Clark, 72, of Nampa, was reported missing by her family on Dec. 5 when she failed to return home, the Idaho Statesman reported.
Four days later, on Friday, two men discovered Clark’s silver 2021 Chevy Equinox wrecked about 200 yards down a canyon near Melba, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said in a statement.
Define miracle?
Authorities found Clark about 40 feet away from the crash site, the agency said.
‘CCSO began working with Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue on a plan to rescue her. Multiple other agencies — Life Flight Network, Nampa Police Department, Upper Deer Flat Fire, Melba Fire, Canyon County Paramedics, and Idaho Fish & Game — were also dispatched to the scene to assist,’ the official statement read.
It took two hours for the rescue crews to carry Clark to the first responders’ command post, where she received initial medical treatment before being taken to the hospital.
‘This is frankly one of the most miraculous incidents that I can recall in all my years in law enforcement, and it’s a true testament to the strength and fortitude of Penny Clark,’ Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue said.
How did she survive ordeal?
‘The medics who evaluated her on scene believe that she had been there for at least a couple of days and more than likely since Tuesday when her family last had contact with her. It’s truly a miracle, and I’m hopeful that she makes a full recovery,’ he added.
Not immediately understood is how the 72 year old’s automobile came to end up at the bottom of the ravine and the extent of Clark’s injuries and other deprivations she likely endured stranded during the four days until her rescue.
Clark’s family has requested privacy as she continues her recovery, authorities said.
