An 81-year-old man who was trapped in his car for almost a week during a snowstorm survived by eating snow and croissants. Jerry Alan Jouret, from California, had been reported missing on February 24 after driving from Big Pine to Gardnerville, a distance of approximately 170 miles. The snowstorms that had hit the area caused his car to become buried in snow, trapping him inside for almost a week.
Jouret had not been in contact since February 24 when he left his second residence in Big Pine, planning to use SR-168 to reach Nevada. However, he encountered severe storms in the area, and his family became concerned when they hadn’t heard from him for several days. They alerted the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office on February 28, and a search began.
Jouret was found alive and well in his car almost a week later, thanks to the efforts of a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew. When the crew approached the vehicle, a window was lowered, and Jouret began waving from inside. The crew were amazed to find him alive and well, despite being trapped in the car for almost a week. Jouret was taken to hospital for observation but was released the next day.
Jouret’s brother, Joe, spoke to reporters about the ordeal and described it as a miracle. He said, “The pilot was about out of gas. They came back and hovered over his car about three feet because they couldn’t go down to the road, because the snow was too high. So the other guy in the helicopter was harnessed up, he went out of the helicopter, went down and got [my brother] out of his vehicle, they climbed back into the helicopter and then they flew to Bishop Airport.” Joe added that his brother was smiling all the way back to the airport and was happy to be out of the situation.
The photos shared by the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office showed a large amount of snow covering the area along Death Valley Road where Jouret was discovered. The location was described as a “rough road running south of the 168 and leading into Death Valley National Park.” The aftermath of a series of significant snowstorms in late February is still being dealt with by the state of California. The storms have been referred to as a “once-in-a-generation” occurrence, with Governor Gavin Newsom declaring emergencies in 13 of the state’s 58 counties.
The heavy snowfall trapped many residents inside their homes and vacation rentals. Authorities stated that the snow was too much for plows to clear and required specialized equipment to remove, causing a shortage of tire chains. Additionally, several rooftops in the region collapsed due to the weight of the snow, and officials have cautioned that the recent spate of storms could result in more such incidents.
Jouret’s survival story has captured the attention of many, with people amazed at how he managed to survive for almost a week on just snow and croissants. His brother Joe believes it was a miracle that he survived and is grateful to the helicopter crew for rescuing him. The story is a reminder of how important it is to be prepared for extreme weather conditions, especially in areas prone to snowstorms and other natural disasters.