‘Miracle’ rescue as elderly woman missing for four days found in car at bottom of canyon

An elderly Idaho woman’s rescue is being celebrated as a “miracle” after she was found alive in her car four days after the vehicle tumbled down a ravine.

Penny Kay Clark, 72, of Nampa, was reported missing by her family on Dec. 5 when she failed to return from running an errand, the Idaho Statesman reported.

Four days later, on Friday, two men discovered Clark’s silver 2021 Chevy Equinox wrecked about 200 yards down a canyon near Melba, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said in a statement.

Authorities found Clark about 40 feet away from the crash site, the agency said.

“CCSO began working with Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue on a plan to rescue her. Multiple other agencies — Life Flight Network, Nampa Police Department, Upper Deer Flat Fire, Melba Fire, Canyon County Paramedics, and Idaho Fish & Game — were also dispatched to the scene to assist,” the official statement read.

It took two hours for the rescue crews to carry Clark to the first responders’ command post, where she received initial medical treatment before being taken to the hospital.

“This is frankly one of the most miraculous incidents that I can recall in all my years in law enforcement, and it’s a true testament to the strength and fortitude of Penny Clark,” Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue said.

“The medics who evaluated her on scene believe that she had been there for at least a couple of days and more than likely since Tuesday when her family last had contact with her. It’s truly a miracle, and I’m hopeful that she makes a full recovery,” he added.

Clark’s family has requested privacy as she continues her recovery, authorities said.