Below are a few letters of gratitude that have been received over the years from people that have been rescued (names removed for privacy; if you’re one of these subjects and would like your name revealed, please contact me and let me know).
From a subject rescued near Canjillon Lakes
Since you rescued me two weeks ago, I’ve been pondering what kind of person would choose to join a search and rescue team. They must be driven by a profound sense of community, devoting themselves to supporting people who share their love of nature but find themselves in danger through misfortune or lack of preparedness. They must be guided by a deep moral imperative to do the right thing, sacrificing their own comfort by making themselves available at a moment’s notice, even if it means giving up sleep. They must be forgiving, granting the same alacrity to rescuing all people in need, regardless of whether their plight was caused by their own recklessness or stupidity. They must be staunchly altruistic, receiving no compensation for a job that is among our society’s most important. Perhaps they embrace spiritual convictions and embrace the metaphor of saving those who have gone astray while wandering in the wilderness. Most likely, they are quietly modest, seeking no recognition or glory.
Such a person would probably decline to be labeled a hero. But for someone like me, who owes my health and possibly my life to your dedication, you are indeed heroes, and the fact that you don’t seek personal credit only magnifies the heroism of your efforts. I have spent my entire adult life in a helping profession, but I have never done anything like what you do. There’s a big difference between helpers and heroes. I will always admire you for your work and I will always be in debt to you for saving me.
With deep gratitude, [Name deleted for confidentially]
From a subject who was lost for two days in the national forest Northeast of Santa Fe:
After the three days that’s taken me to regain the strength to write, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all of those selfless and brave people, tens of them I was told, that volunteered in the search for a missing woman off the Winsor 254 Trail on Labor Day. You all save lives even at your own discomfort and risk. It’s the most noble of causes and the shining side of humanity.
I was resigned to spend a second night lying down on the humid soil by the Nambe River, in the intense cold of the night, physically paralyzed because legs and arms had stopped responding due to hypothermia, as I was later told by the medical doctor, when unexpectedly I heard a big sound and saw a helicopter coming directly towards me and stopping right above. I had begun to hallucinate that day, to see things that were not there, like tree trunks mistaken for people, but this was very real. It was 7:25 pm I was later told, and almost dark, and the joy it gave me was undescribable.
From then on everything went swiftly and professionally. I was lifted up with a rope like in the movies, held tightly by one of the well-trained rescuers, and after a few minutes hanging in the seat at the end of the rope as the helicopter flew away from the trees, the rescuers slided me inside into a stretcher. They immediately took my vital signs and said that an ambulance would be waiting for us to take me to the hospital, which I later learned was the Presbyterian Health Services, a beautiful place with qualified and devoted people. To my helicopter rescuers, all my admiration and respect. I’ll never forget you.
I’m slowly regaining the use of my limbs and I’m no longer hallucinating. I may have some issues with the kidneys due to the hypothermia but hopefully nothing serious. Lessons learned: I should have turned back at the end of the Winsor 254 Trail as soon as I saw it was tricky to continue due to lack of signs and rocks or vegetation growth that covered the trail. I mistakenly kept on going to the beginning of the Nambe River Trail and when I turned back, I lost the trail immediately, in the place where it was tricky to go up.
I wish I had taken an external battery for the phone so that I could have shared my location. However, since I had no connection, a walkie-talkie, a whistle, a physical compass, a map in paper would have been useful. I have now been told that you can call 911 without connection and that they will find your location. Have to confirm if this is true.
It would also have been useful to find out beforehand what kind of edible plants are in the area. There were several kinds of berries and mushrooms but they could have been poisonous so I didn’t touch them and I had no food.
The fact that I stayed put in a slightly clear zone and the blue jacket made it easier for the people in the helicopter to spot me.
Again, thank-you Al, thank-you Matt and thank-you volunteers all.
[Name deleted for confidentially] A Venezuelan-Italian residing in Caracas in love with New Mexicans
PS- My backpack was left behind somewhere near the spot where I was rescued, about 2 mts from the Nambe River. The river was on my left walking up. I can’t tell how far up I was. A straw hat and striped jacket may be visible someone is nearby the spot, it’s a black Samsonite backpack, half empty but containing important personal items. It’s hard to spot because it gets mixed up with the vegetation.
(a few of us went back out on a personal mission and found her belongings the following weekend)
From a subject that was lost near the CDT and spent the night with some spectacularly generous CDT thru-hiking strangers:
Hi [Name deleted for confidentially], this is [Name deleted for confidentially] the lost hiker you and your team rescued on October 3. I just wanted to send a thank you for coming to get me early that morning. I have thought of you guys often with much gratitude. The warm cup of coffee and kind reception will be remembered a long time. I hope your son had a great birthday party. I did send a donation in your honor to New Mexico search and rescue council. Grateful for all you do to help keep people safe.