Accidental Rescuers Save Missing Woman Trapped in Mud for Three Days
June 17, 2026
In a miraculous turn of events, a missing woman from Minnesota was rescued from a mud pit after spending three grueling days under the intense sun. Her survival is credited to a series of unexpected decisions made by two friends.
Adam and Mark
The incident occurred in a secluded area of northern Minnesota where 68-year-old Kathryn Woessner found herself stranded. Her vehicle had become immobilized in the mud, and upon exiting to assess the situation, she slipped into a quagmire she later likened to “quicksand.”
Without a way to extricate herself, Woessner remained stuck for several days.
During this time, Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin were exploring trails on their UTVs, an activity they often enjoyed. However, this ride took an unusual course.
Instead of using separate vehicles as usual, Sandbeck opted to accompany Gravalin. They decided to venture into unfamiliar territory and traversed a particularly challenging muddy trail at a slower pace than usual. This deviation from their norm led to an unexpected discovery.
Their spontaneous choices led them to a life-saving mission.
As they navigated the remote path, something peculiar near a seemingly abandoned van caught their attention.
“We noticed there was a body in the puddle next to the van,” Sandbeck remembered.
Initially unsure of the scene, they soon heard a plea for help.
“She uttered up to us, ‘Help me,'” Gravalin recalled. “That’s when we transitioned our former thoughts to, ‘This is a rescue mission.'”
They found Woessner partially submerged in the mud, with only her face, a hand, and a kneecap visible. She had sustained severe sunburns and was exhausted after the harrowing ordeal.
Sandbeck and Gravalin swiftly extracted her from the mud and notified emergency services. Paramedics arrived within approximately 15 minutes and transported Woessner to a hospital for further care.
The circumstances leading Woessner to such an isolated location, nearly 100 miles from where she was last reported, are still under investigation.
Sandbeck expressed his belief that their timely intervention was far from coincidental.
“I have never mapped that trail in my life ever,” he stated.
Reflecting on the unique decisions that led them there, he added, “We changed everything how we do everything, for some reason. And it had to be God, it had to be.”
