Getting the message that her son had not returned from a planned hike in the San Bernardino Mountains and that he was missing was the most paralyzing call Karen Ziebarth has ever received. I learned very quickly how a rescue operation is put together as we watched skilled professionals and countless volunteers search day after day for any sight of Eric and his coworker, Gabrielle. Were they alive? Where they hurt? Why hadn't they found their way back?
Eric and Gabrielle spent five days trying to make it out of the canyon, but each day presented a new obstacle. With limited food, water, and clothing, and no equipment to safely navigate a canyon, every day brought challenges. This, coupled with enduring the bitter weather, required mental toughness if they were to survive.
Karen will speak in Iowa this week in support of search and rescue teams. She has lived a parent's nightmare: being told her son had not returning from a hiking trip. She tells Jeff her compelling story.