Amber Vanhecke is the 24-year-old woman who survived five days (119 excruciating hours) being stranded in the Grand Canyon. The college student was traveling by herself and relying on her GPS which “instructed her to make a wrong turn, leading her through increasingly tough terrain.” Her GPS stopped working and her car ran out of gas. On the fifth day, she began to hike away from her car to try to get cell service which she eventually did after about an 11 mile trek in the desert. She was rescued on March 17 after a helicopter rescue crew spotted her car and a giant help sign she made with rocks.
[Left: Lonely Planet recommends what to see and skip at the Grand Canyon]
One day after her rescue, Vanhecke remarkably continued her travels going sightseeing next in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is a lot easier to navigate. Vanhecke will be interviewed on ABC 20/20 on Friday, March 31 at 10pm.