Miracle Rescue! 65-Year-Old Oregon Mushroom Picker Alive After Two Nights in Wilderness
A 65-year-old mushroom picker spent two nights alone in Oregon’s wild terrain—until a daring rescue brought her to safety. 🌐 #News #CoosCountyOR #Oregon #MissingPerson
COOS COUNTY, OR – A 65-year-old woman from Oregon was safely rescued on Sunday after spending two nights alone in the rugged wilderness south of Shore Acres State Park. Colleen Fiorucci had become separated from her mushroom-picking group, prompting an extensive search by local authorities.
Search Efforts Begin
Fiorucci was reported missing around 6:30 p.m. on Friday after she lost contact with her group. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office immediately began coordinating search efforts, with deputies notifying Oregon State Police. Given the challenging terrain, the U.S. Coast Guard was also called in, deploying their specialized helicopters equipped for such rescue missions.
In addition to the Coast Guard, a timber deputy responded to search areas behind locked gates on private timber property east of the park. However, search efforts were initially paused early Saturday morning due to poor weather conditions, although they resumed later that day with help from Coos County Search and Rescue (SAR) teams, K9 units, and more ground searchers.
Rescue and Recovery
By Sunday morning, the search was back in full swing, with additional teams from surrounding counties joining the effort. After extensive searching, two experienced ground searchers, Meredith Childs and Tim Hawkins, located Fiorucci around 12:30 p.m. in a dense, dark area of brush. Although Fiorucci was “cold, wet and tired,” she was in relatively good spirits. Childs and Hawkins quickly started a warming fire to help her regain some warmth while waiting for a helicopter to extract her.
Once rescued, Fiorucci was hoisted into the Coast Guard helicopter and transported to a nearby medical facility for evaluation and care.
Safety Advice from Authorities
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office shared a reminder for those heading into the wilderness: “If you plan on going into the forest, please prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Plan for the trip you are going on and be mindful of the terrain and weather conditions. Dress for the weather, stick to your plan and always insure someone knows your plan.”
RELATED TOPICS: Missing Persons | Oregon
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