Grandmother and Three Grandchildren Found Safe after Overnight Trek Through Carolina Wilderness
A grandmother and her three grandchildren were safely reunited with family last night after a harrowing experience lost in the South Carolina wilderness.
The family went missing in the late evening of November 24th in the area around Caesar’s Head after the children got lost from the familiar trails. It was at around 6:50 p.m. that one of the children called the authorities to indicate that he and his grandmother along with his two brothers were lost.
The missing family was identified as Tonda Michelin and her grandchildren, Melody, 14, Michael, 11, and Dale, 9, by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
As night fell, an urgent search began through difficult terrain that reached from “Caesar’s Head back through to Raven Cliff Falls.” The search parties fought against heavy fog and night conditions using helicopters, drones, canine teams, and four-wheel drives. There came a point where fog halted the search, but later a trail by a search dog indicated a strong scent of the family’s proximity.
The search continued into Tuesday, and just after the second round of 2 p.m., the family could be spotted together with rescuers on the Bill Kimbrell Trail. They were tired and okay. Emergency crews had closed trails in the area to provide complete access for the rescue.
At the end of hours of fear and anticipation, the family was at last reunited – and this was filled with relief and joy.
