A 92-year-old man was rescued after spending a night outside in sub-zero temperatures in Oregon last week.
The incident occurred as Larry Hendrickson and his wife Shirley were traveling from Yuma, Arizona back to their home in Newport, Washington. Although the couple were traveling together, Shirley told CNN that she was behind the wheel of the U-Haul truck while Hendrickson followed behind in their car.
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As she recounted the drive to the dealership, Shirley said they stopped “somewhere around Baker City in northeastern Oregon” after noticing a problem with one of the truck’s tires.
She used both of their cell phones to try to find help while Hendrickson drove down the highway in search of a tire shop, she told CNN.
Although Hendrickson was still gone, Shirley decided to get back on the road around 8 p.m. after fixing the tire because it was dark.
Since she had both of their phones, Shirley had friends leave messages for Hendrickson at their home in case he showed up before her. When Hendrickson did not return home, Shirley contacted the Oregon State Police.
OSP explained in a news release that they were notified of an “overdue driver” who was “last known to be traveling westbound on Interstate 84 near exit 283 in Baker County” around 3pm on November 7th.
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After searching for Hendrickson’s whereabouts, the couple’s vehicle was found abandoned on West Airport Lane. Hendrickson was found down the embankment.
Larry Hendrickson.
Oregon State Police
According to OSP, Hendrickson was “conscious and breathing” when he was found by an OSP officer and an officer from the Baker City Police Department.
Authorities administered first aid and EMS from Metro West Ambulance transported him to a local hospital. Shirley told CNN that her husband was taken to a hospital in Idaho and released after two days.
“He’s suffering from the effects of hypothermia. He can’t walk well; everything hurts,” she said. She added that “it’s a miracle that he made it,” since “he’s 92 years old.”
OSP used the incident as a reminder to travelers to let others know about plans in case of unexpected travel-related complications.
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“We are grateful for this positive outcome. Exposure to cold weather can be life-threatening and another night in these conditions could have been fatal,” Oregon State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy said in a statement.
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