Eating plants and moths: how a woman survived on 17 days lost in a forest in Hawaii

A 35-year-old physiotherapist and yoga instructor got lost and spent 17 days in the dense jungle on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The woman was able to survive, eating plants, wild fruit and even moths that she could catch. She found a search team, noticing from a helicopter. Amanda Eller shared her story of survival.

Photo: Facebook / Javier Cantellops

They searched for Amanda Eller for more than two weeks, and at least 1000 people took part in her search. A woman disappeared without a trace in a forest in Hawaii and was last seen by her boyfriend on May 8. Since then - until May 24 - nothing has been heard about her, writes New York Post.

Eller's white Toyota RAV4 was found along a wooded trail with the key hidden under the driver's side front wheel and her phone and wallet still inside. The woman ran along the trail for three or four miles (about 1,8 - 2,4 km), she lay down on a fallen log to rest. When she stood up, she had absolutely no idea where she was.

The first 5-8 days Eller could walk, but at some point she fell and fell into the gorge, which was about seven miles (4,4 km) from where she left the car. In addition to a broken leg, she bruised both ankles and received a severe sunburn.

The gorge where Amanda was found. A photo: Facebook / Javier Cantellops

“It’s very easy to get lost and lost in these woods,” said Javier Cantellops, one of a group of the woman’s friends and family who searched for her. “It was like in a movie.”

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Barefoot Eller with a broken leg was noticed when she heard the noise of a helicopter and began waving her arms with all her might.

“We flew for almost two hours, we were running out of fuel. On the way back we flew over the creeks and there she was, waving her arms below,” Chris Berquist, who led the air search, told reporters. “There was no doubt it was her.” We understood this even from such a height.”

The helicopter was planted approximately 300 yards (270 with a few meters) from the gorge where Eller lay. The men got to the missing woman. Her legs were covered with blisters and burns. She lost about 15 pounds (almost 7 kg) of weight.

Friends say that Eller survived thanks to resourcefulness, as well as a career in yoga and therapy.

“Those two things have to do with her knowledge of the local vegetation, the large amount of water, our wonderful tropical climate also helped,” Cantellops told reporters, adding that he believed Eller was alive all along.

Photo: Facebook / Javier Cantellops

Her mother says Eller's fracture will require long-term treatment. Julia Eller told The Maui News that finding her daughter alive is "the greatest news I've ever received in my entire life: that not only was my daughter found, but she's in pretty good shape after what she's been through." "

Amanda’s father, John, said, “It looks like she’s a little thin and got a really good tan. It was a hard journey. Her mental strength and resilience, her faith in herself kept her alive. "

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In total, over a thousand people were looking for a woman: she herself said that for her it was "a deeply touching expression of support." When it became known that she was rescued, in a specially created camp, where 150 volunteers gathered to search for every day, there were joyful shouts.

Photo: Facebook / Javier Cantellops

“The way the Maui community came together with the idea of ​​helping one person get out of the forest alive just warms my heart,” the survivor said. “This could move mountains.”

“There were moments of complete despair and loss and wanting to give up, and it came down to a choice between life and death,” Eller said from her hospital bed. “I had to choose, and I chose life.”

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• The Maui Police Department stated that the 35-year-old physiotherapist and yoga instructor got lost in the 8 reserve in May after visiting a local post office. Her SUV was found at the foot of the Kahakapao trail.
• 24 May Amanda Eller was found alive.
• A few hours before her rescue, the Eller discovery reward was increased to 50 000 dollars.
• John, the father of the woman, said that she had several abrasions and sunburns, but “mentally she is all right on 100%”.

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