(NewsNation) — An elderly man was found alive after being trapped in snow for nearly a week, with little to eat and only one blanket to stay warm.
Jerry Jouret had last been heard from on Feb. 24, driving from Big Pine, California to Gardnerville, California. When he didn’t arrive, his family reported him missing.
Inyo County Search and Rescue made two unsuccessful attempts to search for Jouret, due to a winter storm that dumped large amounts of snow on California.
The group used ground teams along with aerial searches from a helicopter before eventually using a cellphone ping to triangulate an area near Death Valley National Park.
Rescuers found Jouret’s car partially buried in snow. Jouret was briefly treated at an area hospital before being released to his family. Jouret’s grandson, Christian Jouret, said his grandfather had only a thin blanket to stay warm.said family members warned him not to drive due to the impending storm.
“GREAT NEWS! After 6 days and 6 nights of being trapped in a car under snow freezing with no food, water and a very thin blanket my Grandfather was rescued today by helicopter. I want to thank every single prayer warrior out there and the amount of love and support for my grandfather has been mind-blowing. The power of prayer is a force that cannot be stopped. Praise GOD!” he wrote on Facebook.
Christian Jouret said family members warned his grandfather not to travel due to the impending storm. CNN reported the 81-year-old survived by conserving his car’s fuel by only turning it on for brief periods of time to warm up and eating some snacks he had with him, along with snow.