Deaf hiker falls 700 feet, but when rescuers finally
Amelia’s Fall
Twenty-one-year-old Amelia Milling, who is deaf, set out on a solo three-day hike in Alaska.
But disaster struck when she slipped, tumbling over 600 feet down a snowy mountainside before crashing into a boulder.
Though unhurt, she was stranded and lost.
An Unexpected Rescuer
As Amelia struggled to find her way, a white dog appeared.
At first she feared it was a wolf—but it wore a collar reading “guide.”
The husky, named Nanook, worked as a trail guide dog helping lost hikers.
Heroic Companion
Nanook stayed with Amelia overnight, then saved her again when river currents dragged her under, pulling her safely to shore.
Safe at Last
Amelia activated her GPS beacon, and rescuers flew her to safety.
But she insists her real savior was Nanook. Police chief Eric Olsen agreed: “He’s Alaska’s version of Lassie.”
