After Three Days Trapped in Mud, Missing Woman Saved Thanks to a Split Second Change of Plans

June 17, 2026

A missing Minnesota woman who spent three days trapped in mud under the scorching sun is alive today because two friends made a series of last minute decisions that took them somewhere they had never gone before.

Adam and Mark

The incredible rescue unfolded in a remote area of northern Minnesota, where 68 year old Kathryn Woessner had become stranded after her vehicle got stuck on a muddy trail. When she got out to assess the situation, she slipped into a deep mud hole that she later described as being "like quicksand."

Unable to free herself, Woessner remained trapped for days.

Meanwhile, Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin were out riding their UTVs, something they had done many times before. But this trip was different.

Instead of taking separate vehicles as they normally did, Sandbeck decided to ride with his friend. Instead of sticking to familiar routes, they chose to explore new trails. And instead of speeding through the area, they found themselves slowly navigating a muddy stretch filled with potholes and obstacles.

Those unexpected choices would end up saving a life.

As the pair traveled down the remote trail, they spotted something unusual near an abandoned looking van.

"We noticed there was a body in the puddle next to the van," Sandbeck recalled.

At first, they struggled to understand what they were seeing. Then they heard a voice.

"She uttered up to us, 'Help me,'" Gravalin said. "That's when we transitioned our former thoughts to, 'This is a rescue mission.'"

The men discovered Woessner partially submerged in the mud. According to Sandbeck, only her face, one hand, and a kneecap were visible. She was badly sunburned and exhausted after spending three days trapped outdoors.

The friends quickly pulled her from the mud and called 911. Authorities were able to locate them, and paramedics arrived within about 15 minutes before transporting Woessner to a hospital for treatment.

Investigators have not yet determined why Woessner was in the area, which was roughly 100 miles from where she was last seen before being reported missing.

For Sandbeck, the rescue feels like far more than a coincidence.

"I have never mapped that trail in my life ever," he said.

Reflecting on the unusual decisions that brought them to that exact spot at that exact moment, he added, "We changed everything how we do everything, for some reason. And it had to be God, it had to be."