After being trapped in her car at the bottom of an embankment for 5 days, a 70-year old Washington woman was reunited with her family.
While driving back to her home in Rochester from her vacation home in North Cove on Tuesday, Sharon Learning suffered a medical emergency that left her feeling sleepy, dizzy and with part of her face dragging down a little, according to her daughter Tammie Pennypacker.
"She knew that she was in trouble," her daughter said of her mom's thoughts before the car drove off Highway 12 and 30 feet down into the embankment.
Sharon was not due home until Thursday, so her family didn't know there was cause for concern until then.
Sharon is in the early stages of dementia, so her family grew concerned when she didn't arrive on time.
On Sunday, Sharon's nephew Bob Stewart found her when he noticed a tree with a stripped-off bark on the side of the highway. When he went to investigate, he heard yelling.
Sharon wasn't able to move because of her injuries which included a damaged knee, heel, ankle, and a ruptured chest.
While being trapped she leaned on the car's horn for a couple of days until the battery died. Using only tiny amounts of water to keep her mouth moistened enough to scream for help, she was dehydrated when her family found her.
During the whole ordeal she only ate 2 bananas over the 5 days. She also had Pop-Tarts in her car, but avoided them because she was afraid of choking.
Sharon was airlifted to the hospital where she is recovering.
The family has set up a Go Fund Me Campaign for her medical expenses. "Her back is broken in 5 places, her ankle is broken, her heel is crushed, a bone underneath her knee is broken, as well as several broken ribs," Carriann Wood posted on the Go Fund Me Page.