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Missing Hawaii hiker found alive after two-week ordeal | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
A woman who was found alive two weeks after going missing in Hawaii has told of her "life or death" ordeal. | |
Amanda Eller, 35, was last seen on 8 May. Family and friends had launched an intense search effort and offered a cash reward for her safe return. | Amanda Eller, 35, was last seen on 8 May. Family and friends had launched an intense search effort and offered a cash reward for her safe return. |
Ms Eller was found on Friday when she waved down a rescue helicopter. | Ms Eller was found on Friday when she waved down a rescue helicopter. |
Reports say she got lost and injured while hiking on Maui. Photographs show her dirty and slightly injured, but smiling after being rescued. | |
In an emotional video posted to Facebook on Saturday, the yoga instructor described how she endured "the toughest days of my life" while injured in the Hawaiian wilds. | |
Filmed from a hospital bed next to her boyfriend, Benjamin Konkol, she said she "chose life" despite "times of total fear and loss and wanting to give up". | |
"I wasn't going to take the easy way out, even if that meant more suffering and pain for myself," she said in the video. | |
In another video, taken at a local hospital, Ms Eller's father said he was "bawling like a baby" when his daughter was found. | |
Her mother described her as being in "surprisingly good shape" considering how long she had been missing. | Her mother described her as being in "surprisingly good shape" considering how long she had been missing. |
Local reports suggest she has lost weight, but survived after foraging on berries and local water sources. | Local reports suggest she has lost weight, but survived after foraging on berries and local water sources. |
She suffered a broken leg, a torn meniscus in her knee, sunburns and scrapes, The New York Times reported. | |
An online announcement about her rescue on the "Find Amanda" Facebook page has now been shared and liked thousands of times. | An online announcement about her rescue on the "Find Amanda" Facebook page has now been shared and liked thousands of times. |
Well-wishers have been flooding the page with messages of shock and relief about Ms Eller's safety. | Well-wishers have been flooding the page with messages of shock and relief about Ms Eller's safety. |
Her mother, Julia, told local news website Khon 2 that she had always "felt in her heart" that her daughter was alive. | Her mother, Julia, told local news website Khon 2 that she had always "felt in her heart" that her daughter was alive. |
"I never gave up hope for a minute," she said. "Even though at times I would have those moments of despair, I stayed strong for her 'cause I knew we would find her if we just stayed with the program, stayed persistent and that we would eventually find her". | "I never gave up hope for a minute," she said. "Even though at times I would have those moments of despair, I stayed strong for her 'cause I knew we would find her if we just stayed with the program, stayed persistent and that we would eventually find her". |
Ms Eller's car and mobile phone had been found in the Makawao Forest Reserve car park - leading family and friends to suspect she had got lost while hiking. | Ms Eller's car and mobile phone had been found in the Makawao Forest Reserve car park - leading family and friends to suspect she had got lost while hiking. |
Her boyfriend had been the last person to see her, and said he "strongly" felt she was in the forest. | Her boyfriend had been the last person to see her, and said he "strongly" felt she was in the forest. |
She reportedly got lost after leaving the trail to rest before plunging 20ft (six metres) from a cliff, breaking her leg. | |
Fifteen days after she was reported missing, three search team members reportedly spotted her on Friday in a deep ravine. | Fifteen days after she was reported missing, three search team members reportedly spotted her on Friday in a deep ravine. |
"We were freaking out. We were trying not to trip over ourselves trying to get to her too fast," rescuer Chris Berquest told local media. | "We were freaking out. We were trying not to trip over ourselves trying to get to her too fast," rescuer Chris Berquest told local media. |
Another member of the aerial search party, Javier Cantellops, shared images and video of the incredible rescue on social media. | Another member of the aerial search party, Javier Cantellops, shared images and video of the incredible rescue on social media. |
In one post on his Facebook page he described finding her as the "greatest day of my life". | In one post on his Facebook page he described finding her as the "greatest day of my life". |