Woman, 76, Found After 2 Weeks Lost in Oregon Mountains

Sept. 7, 2007 — -- A memorial service was scheduled for Doris Anderson this weekend. The 76-year-old disappeared into the Oregon mountains two weeks ago, and though rescuers combed the area, they could find no trace of her.

Mourning turned to joy Thursday when sheriff's deputies found Anderson at the bottom of a canyon.

This morning she's in an Oregon hospital suffering from a hip injury and dehydration. Her husband of 55 years is overjoyed.

"Hallelujah! It's just a living miracle," said Harold Anderson, 74.

For two weeks, Doris had struggled to survive in the rugged wilderness of the Wallowa Mountains in eastern Oregon.

Doris and Harold were on an elk hunting trip in the mountains when their truck trailer got stuck. Harold broke his wrist trying to free the vehicles, then the two lost track of each other after hiking out to find help. Harold was found, but Doris disappeared.

"I thought I'd never see her again. I had her pictures close to me. I thought I'd never see her again until the Rapture," Harold said.

No More Hunting

Her family members were beginning to think they would never see her again.

"We had given her up for lost," said her brother-in-law Melvin Anderson. "We still don't believe how she could have survived that. I thought she was gone, but my wife said, 'No, she'll survive.' My wife was right."

Authorities had also given up hope. Doris had been lightly dressed in an area where temperatures had dipped into the 30s.

About 70 volunteers a day had searched on land and in the air to no avail, while her relatives lit candles and prayed.

But Melvin's wife, Iris, said that she actually had a dream that Doris was at the bottom of a canyon.

"I could still see her down in the canyon," Iris Anderson said. "I woke up last night and told my husband, 'I never had such a night in my life.' I said, 'I was dreaming about Doris and she's in the canyon.'"

Doris credits her incredible survival to a healthy lifestyle and prayer.

Her relieved husband, meanwhile, said there would be no more elk hunting for them.

"Never, never," Harold said. "I'm going to spend the rest of my days with my wife."