A woman who was rescued by a stranger after being buried in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort on Wednesday has recounted her harrowing experience.
Janet He fell about 200 feet down the mountain and survived the avalanche without any injuries.
He and her husband, Joseph Lu, told CBS News Sacramento that they were on the mountain when the deadly avalanche hit their path. She explained that her husband was in front of her when the snow dislodged her feet, “took [her] away” and “swept away [her] from the mountain.”
As the snow buried her, she could not breathe and wondered if she would survive.
He tried to calm down and not panic. “If I panic, I use up more air,” she recalled to CBS Sacramento. “I couldn’t get up because the snow was so heavy on me,” He said. “I was buried, my face was buried in the snow. I’m lucky I had a face mask, I had some air in the face mask.”
As she remained under the snow, Lu searched for her, but a stranger found and rescued He.
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Placer County Sheriffs walk toward a medical clinic in Palisades Tahoe on January 10, 2024 in Tahoe, California.
AP Photo/Andy Barron
“And I don’t see her. I shout and shout. When I realized what could happen, it really hit me,” Hea’s husband said. “I was using my ski pole frantically kicking everywhere and yelling her name.”
But while she was stuck, she heard the voice of another skier nearby.
He says, ‘Don’t worry, I got you,’ He said. – I think that’s the best thing I’ve heard in my life.
After pulling her out, he said: “I survived. I could walk. It’s okay, I can walk.”
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Placer County Sheriff’s vehicles are parked near the ski lift in Palisades Tahoe where an avalanche occurred on January 10, 2024 in Tahoe, California.
AP Photo/Andy Barron
After she was rescued, the two walked down the mountain without any injuries and reflected on how lucky they were to be alive. “You realize how precious time and life are,” Lu said.
“Risk is inherent,” Lu added. “We all know. We just need to respect the mountain, respect the risks involved.” The couple said Wednesday night that they are ready to hit the slopes when the resort reopens the mountain.
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Wednesday’s avalanche killed one person, injured another and buried two more – including He.
The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. in Lake Tahoe, California at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort on the right side of the KT-22 ski lift.
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