Man, 81, trapped in snow for a week survives on snow and candy
An 81-year-old man who was trapped in snow for a week survived after actually eating the snow itself and the much nicer alternative of candy for a week.
The poor bloke has been identified as Jerry Alan Jouret by CBS affiliate KTVN, who was greatly impacted by one of California's recent snowstorms.
Inyo County Sheriff's Office said that Jouret was found on 2 March when a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew spotted him waving his arm from his car, which was buried under snow.
In a statement released on Friday, the sheriff said: "When the crew made their way closer for inspection, a window was lowered and a person began waving from inside the vehicle.
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"The CHP crew loaded the person onboard and transported him directly to Bishop Airport for transport to medical care."
The step was purely a precautionary one, as he was discharged from hospital later that day.
Jouret was first reported missing on 24 February, shortly after he made the 170-mile trip from Big Pine, California, to Gardnerville, Nevada.
The search for Jouret was not an easy one though, as multiple attempts to find him were cut short because of the bad weather.
The extreme snowstorms also led to roads being closed, making the rescue mission more difficult and lowering the chances of a successful outcome.
But Jouret did survive the terrible ordeal, by eating snow and croissants, according to Patch.
Jouret's brother Joe spoke to the outlet about the 'miracle' that was his brother surviving.
He said: "I just really believe it was a miracle.
"[The pilot] was about out of gas. But he looked down and he saw what looked like a rock as he looked down.
"He had another man with him in the helicopter…and as they looked down there, it was [my brother's] car.
"He was almost buried in snow, but not quite. He took his hand out of the window and waved it."
He concluded: "He was smiling all the way back to the airport.
"He was happy to get out of that situation."
Meanwhile, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office thanked those who helped contribute to the successful rescue mission.
They said: "The success of this mission was the result of the many volunteers who commit their personal time to serve as members of Inyo County Search and Rescue, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, CHP Inland Division Air Operations, Caltrans District 9, as well as many members of the community - both near and far - who offered planning, logistical, and moral support."
Callum Jones