Lost woman believed Friday was her last day
Canadian ready for discovery or death after seven weeks in U.S. wilderness
By Jordan Press, Postmedia News May 9, 2011 12:00 AM
Huddled in a van in the mountainous terrain straddling the Idaho-Nevada border, Rita Chretien knew that Friday would be her last day in the wild.
The 56-year-old Penticton, B.C., woman had been missing for seven weeks at that point and had rationed food and eaten snow to stay alive.
On Thursday, she knew something was coming the next day, but she didn't know what it would be: discovery or death.
"She was prepared and she had a very clear indication there would be something on Friday," her son, Raymond Chretien, said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. "She got ready on Thursday for the outcome, and this is what it is."
Rita was found alive Friday after the van she and her husband, Albert, were driving in got stuck in the mud seven weeks ago. Raymond Chretien said the couple took a few wrong turns after deciding to take a scenic route. They had no idea the road was impassable, he said.
Albert Chretien, 59, left to go find help on March 22 but never returned, leaving his wife stranded in the wilderness with a limited supply of food and water.
The area where Albert went missing is fairly mountainous terrain, filled with canyons and -at this time of year -both snow cover and snow melt.
Raymond said that while the family was happy to celebrate Mother's Day with her, they were also hoping to find their still missing father. Raymond said that whatever the outcome, the family was prepared for it.
"We were praying for a miracle and boy did we get one," he said. "We're still praying for another one."
Hope for a successful rescue has waned with each passing day. On Sunday, police said it is unlikely that Albert will be found alive.
In an interview with the CBC, a detective with the Elko County Sheriff's department said the odds of Albert surviving in the wilderness for almost two months is quite low.
"The odds of survival without any sort of protection seems real unlikely to me," said Det. Kevin McKinney.
"There are a lot of areas there, caves, things like that, where it would be possible (to survive), but without food or water, it would be very difficult."
On Saturday, volunteers searched on foot and on allterrain vehicles through the rough country along with two canine units, McKinney said.
Raymond said that his mother had no idea just how large the search was for the missing couple.
Meanwhile doctors in Idaho continued to introduce food to Rita Sunday, slowly increasing her liquid diet to avoid setbacks in her recovery. "Right now she is very weak . but her strength is coming back at a good pace," said Dr. James Westberry. "She's surprising all of us with how well she's doing."
Westberry said that had she not been found Friday, it was unlikely that she would have survived much longer.
"Maybe a few days, maybe not much more than that. She was definitely getting somewhat toward the end when she was found."
Doctors expect her to make a full recovery.
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