ARIZONA, USA — A young mother survived several days in the wilderness on her own. She was miraculously found in a rescue search nearly six days after she went missing.
“I was shocked and so happy to see someone finally after six days of being alone. It was so hard,” said 24-year-old Destiny Quintero.
She survived the impossible, braving monsoon rains and animals in the White Mountains.
Quintero said she went on a joy ride with friends late last week. But when storms came down, the truck got stuck, and they split up.
“They made it back before me and I was stuck out there alone,” said Quintero. “It was hard being alone.”
That’s when she realized there was no way back to safety.
“I was getting tired and hungry and I didn’t know how to shelter myself,” said Quintero. After her shoes fell off all she had was the shirt on her back and a small blanket. She cut up her shirt to use it like shoes.
She soon learned she wasn’t completely alone. She said she came across mountain lions. Quintero spent her days in the water to hide from the animals. But by night that wasn’t an option.
“I would go behind these juniper trees surrounded by sticks and stay up alert…I wanted to give up so bad because I thought no one was looking,” said Quintero.
Every single day volunteers helped mountain rangers look for Quintero hoping to find her alive.
On the fifth day, Willie Zahgotah took off work to help.
“I knew she had at least five days ahead of us so she wouldn't be in the area. So I wanted to check further ahead. And I did,” said Zahgotah.
He found her off a dirt road.
“I was so shocked and so happy to see someone finally,” said Quintero.
“She's grabbed me and held on to me and she said 'thank you, thank you,'” said Quintero.
Quintero has some scrapes and bruises, but that is small compared to the joy of being reunited with her 2-year-old son.
“I thank my whole community for going out and looking for me,” cried Quintero.
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