I learned an important lesson this week. Never give up hope for a lost child

[NNN0LHI]

This happened about ten miles from where I live. When I was told the news earlier in the week I just felt in my heart that this little girl had drowned in the Kankakee river. Well she didn't. I wish I had went to the river and offered to help search for her. If circumstances like this ever occur again I know I will.

52 years old and I am still learning. Man, I am glad they found this little girl safe.

Don


http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=397396

Posted Online: 2007-06-16

Hannah survives two nights in the wilderness

Five-year-old Hannah Klamecki escaped the treacherous currents of the Kankakee River before wandering alone in the dense woods for nearly two days after her grandfather died while swimming with her.

She was naked and clutching a handful of berries Friday morning when she emerged from the woods and meandered into the camp headquarters of searchers who were looking for her.

"Do you believe in miracles? I do -- now," Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner said.

Authorities were stunned by the girl's appearance at approximately 10:30 a.m. at their command post at State Line Bridge on the north side of the river. snip

"I turned around and looked and here's a naked little girl walking," McCabe recalled. "She wasn't walking towards us. She was just kind of walking towards the river. I went over there and asked her if she was OK. She said something about her grandpa went swimming. I asked her what her name was and she said, 'Hannah.'"

Just hours earlier searchers had discovered the drowned body of her grandfather, 62-year-old David Klamecki of rural Momence, a few feet below the water's surface very near where his abandoned boat was found in Whirlpool Bend about 1 1/2 river miles west of the state line.

[zanne]

1. That story is so uplifting.

I was watching the footage on television last night. When she was reunited with her parents, I expected to see a crying, frightened little girl. Instead, she had an air of "What's the big deal"? The part about the raspberries was so sweet. Thank God she had a little bit of something to eat.

[conscious evolution]

2. What a great story

To bad about her granpa.

[Totally Committed]

3. I agree, this story was wonderful.

It's amazing that a five-year-old could survive, but she illustrated that the will to live is in every one of us. She doesn't even realize (probably) how amazing and inspiring what she did was to all us "old fogeys". Live and learn.

TC