4 I'M REALLY SCARED. PLEASE HELP ME. DID THAT YOUNG WOMAN THINK THAT SHE WAS GONNA DIE? TONIGHT ON 20/20 ` FEEL READY FOR THIS? AN AMAZING STORY OF SURVIVAL. THE INCREDIBLE SURVIVAL STORY... LOST IN THE GRAND CANYON AND... 119 HOURS OF TERROR. A UNIVERSITY STUDENT ON A HOLIDAY ROAD TRIP, SENT OFF-TRACK BY HER G.P.S. LOST FOR DAYS IN THE BAKING HOT DESERT,... I REMEMBER SCREAMING ALOUD, 'PLEASE COME BACK. PLEASE HELP ME.' ...NO PETROL, NO CELL PHONE SIGNAL AND NO ONE TO TALK TO EXCEPT THESE GUYS AND HERSELF. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN THIS SCARED. I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE ANY MORE. THAT FIRST NIGHT, YOU GAVE YOUR WILL AND TESTAMENT. DRIVEN TO RECORD A CHEERFUL GOODBYE, A VIDEO DIARY FOR HER LOVED ONES. (BREATHES HEAVILY) THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE EVER LISTENED TO THIS? RECORDING: IN CASE I DON'T, LIKE, GET FOUND... TONIGHT, FOLLOW ALONG AS WE RETRACE HER TERRIFYING JOURNEY,... 'SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES OF WILDERNESS, 'AND YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW EASY IT IS TO GET INTO TROUBLE HERE.' ...THE NEAR MISSES, HER FATHER DESPERATE BACK HOME,... (SOBS AND SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) ...UNTIL FINALLY HER LIFE OR DEATH DECISION. AT WHICH POINT DID YOU DECIDE THAT YOU HAD TO RESCUE YOURSELF? KIA ORA. I'M CAROLYN ROBINSON. TONIGHT ON 20/20, SO MANY OF US RELY SO MUCH ON OUR PHONES AND THEIR G.P.S. APPS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE NEW. BUT TONIGHT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR G.P.S. STEERS YOU SOMEWHERE VERY WRONG? WE'LL MEET THE UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO SAYS SHE FOLLOWED GOOGLE MAPS AND PAID A TERRIBLE PRICE, BEING LEFT STRANDED AND ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. HERE'S MATT GUTMAN. (MAJESTIC MUSIC) JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO TAKE IT IN. THE GRAND CANYON. A GEOLOGICAL SPECTACLE SIX MILLION YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. IT'S NO WONDER FIVE MILLION TOURISTS TREK HERE EVERY YEAR JUST TO BREATHE IN ITS PURE SERENITY. THEY RETURN HOME WITH PICTURES AND SOUVENIRS AND SUNBURNS, BUT NOBODY COMES BACK WITH THE STORY LIKE AMBER VANHECKE. I DID DO THE RIGHT THINGS, EVEN IF I DID MAKE MISTAKES. AND IF I CAN JUST SHARE THOSE THINGS THAT I DID RIGHT WITH EVERYONE, AND IF THAT SAVES EVEN ONE LIFE, THEN IT'S WORTH IT, I THINK. HER JOURNEY TO THE BRINK OF DEATH AND BACK BEGAN THREE WEEKS AND A THOUSAND MILES AGO. IT WAS SPRING BREAK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS. WHILE SO MANY STUDENTS WERE OFF TO DO THE BEACH AND BOOZE THING,... (ALL CHEER) ...AMBER HAD HER OWN IDEA OF FUN. WHEN PEOPLE THINK SPRING BREAK, THEY'RE GOING OFF TO CANCUN. THEY'RE NOT GOING OFF THE GRID. I MEAN, YOUR DECISION WAS TO GO, BASICALLY, INTO THE WILDERNESS. YES. WHY? I WAS IN A SORORITY AT MY OLD SCHOOL, AND I HAD MY EXPERIENCE OF THE DRINKING AND THE PARTYING, AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT. I DIDN'T FIND IT FUN. THE CHOICE WASN'T OUT OF CHARACTER. AMBER HAD ALWAYS BEEN AN OUTDOORSY, ACTIVE TYPE; A GIRL SCOUT AND A JUNIOR R.O.T.C., DEVELOPING SKILLS THAT WILL SOON COME IN VERY HANDY. AMBER VANHECKE WAS A STUDENT WHO HAD A LOT OF PERSONAL DRIVE. SHE HAD A FORCEFUL ATTITUDE ABOUT SELF-IMPROVEMENT. SHE WAS THE ONE THAT TRIED THE DRILL TEAM. SHE TRIED THE COLOUR GUARD. THAT INTREPID SPIRIT FUELLED HER DECISION TO TAKE THIS TRIP, ALONE BY CAR, ALL THE WAY THERE AND BACK. IT'S PRETTY COURAGEOUS OF YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD CALL IT COURAGEOUS. IT'S MORE OF A STUBBORN, PROBABLY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO LET A LACK OF COMPANY STOP ME FROM FINDING ADVENTURE. AMBER COMES FROM A TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY IN NEARBY PLANO. SHE AND HER SISTER, KAYLEY, RAISED BY TWO LOVING PARENTS ` DAD, STEVEN, AN I.T. GUY, AND MOM, ANNETTE, WHO AMONG OTHER THINGS, WAS AMBER'S GIRL SCOUT TROOP LEADER. WHAT KIND OF KID WAS AMBER GROWING UP? BOUNCY. FULL OF WIT. FULL OF RAPIER WIT. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUTGOING. AND WE WERE KINDA LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD. AND I WOULD HELP HER COME BACK AND SHE WOULD HELP ME GO FORWARD AND BE A RISK TAKER. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT SHE SAID THAT WERE JUST SO SMART. WHAT'S THAT FAVOURITE WORD THAT YOU USE? FERNWEH. FERNWEH. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT'S A LONGING FOR PLACES YOU'VE NEVER BEEN. BUT EARLIER THIS YEAR, A PAIR OF HARD SETBACKS. AMBER AND HER BOYFRIEND ENDURE A PAINFUL BREAKUP, AND THEN HER MOM AND DAD DO THE SAME. I THINK THAT IT HAD DEFINITELY TAKEN A MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL TOLL ON ME, AND IT WAS DEFINITELY A PART OF, LIKE, 'YEAH, I NEED TO GET OUT OF TOWN FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.' SO... SHE WOULD ALWAYS ASK ME HOW I WAS DOING. ALWAYS. ALWAYS TRYING TO BE STRONG FOR EVERYONE. I TRULY BELIEVED THAT SHE DESERVED A BREAK AND DESERVED THIS TRIP. HOW LONG HAD YOU BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS TRIP? UM, AS FAR AS ACTUALLY ACTIVELY GETTING SUPPLIES, I ALWAYS STARTED, LIKE, THE WEEK OF, UM, BUT I HAD BEEN PLANNING IT FOR A WHILE COS I WANTED TO FIGURE OUT UNIQUE PLACES IN EACH OF THE STATES ON MY ROUTE TO STOP AT. BUT I THINK THE DAY BEFORE WAS WHEN I ACTUALLY WENT AND GOT FOOD FOR IT; SEEDS, NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT AND SOME APPLES AND MY RAMEN. BEFORE SHE HITS THE ROAD IN HER TRUSTY FORD EDGE, AMBER ANNOUNCES HER TRIP ON FACEBOOK. AND YOU ACTUALLY POSTED ON FACEBOOK. YOU SAID, 'HEY, I HAVE A SEAT OR TWO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COME WITH ME.' I DID, BUT NONE OF MY FRIENDS COULD TAKE OFF WORK OR DISAPPEARED, SO... BUT AMBER DOES HAVE ONE COMPANION, ONE THAT WILL BE A CENTRAL CHARACTER IN THIS STORY ` HER SMARTPHONE. EVEN, YOU KNOW, GIRL SCOUTS, R.O.T.C. PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE, WE STILL RELY ON THESE THINGS. IT'S CONVENIENCE, REALLY. AT THE TOUCH OF YOUR FINGERS IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED. ASIDE FROM THE STANDARD GOOGLE MAPS NAVIGATOR, AMBER WAS ALSO USING A SPECIAL APP WHICH ENABLED HER DAD, BACK HOME IN TEXAS, TO KEEP TRACK OF HER. AND YOUR PHONE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY PING BACK YOUR LOCATION? IT WOULD SEND MY APPROXIMATE BEARING, LATITUDE, LONGITUDE AS WELL AS MY SPEED. WOW. PHONE: HEAD NORTH-EAST, THEN TURN RIGHT. MARCH 11TH, AMBER'S FIRST STOP ` THE BREATHTAKING CARLSBAD CAVERNS OF NEW MEXICO ` A SERIES OF MASSIVE CAVES ` ONE SO BIG, IT'S CALLED THE CHANDELIER BALLROOM. SHE POSTS THIS VIDEO ON FACEBOOK. SO I'M IN THE CAVE. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WHISPER. NICE AND COOL DOWN HERE. HER SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE ROAD TRIP? AN IMPROVISED BED ON WHEELS. SO HAVE YOU SLEPT IN THIS CAR BEFORE? IS THIS SOMETHING YOU'VE ALREADY DONE? YES, SIR. I LIKE TO TRAVEL CHEAP, SO INSTEAD OF HOTELS, I SLEEP IN MY CAR. I HAVE A NICE BED SET-UP BACK HERE. WOW. THIS LOOKS PRETTY COMFY, ACTUALLY. BACK IN TEXAS, HER DAD STEVEN PINGS HER PHONE TO CONFIRM HER LOCATION. WHERE I HAD GOTTEN A G.P.S. FOR HER, SHE WAS JUST WEST OF ALBUQUERQUE. AND AT 12.40AM, AMBER SENDS A TEXT SAYING SHE'S BEDDING DOWN FOR THE NIGHT. ...HE WRITES. SHE REPLIES... THEY DON'T KNOW IT YET, BUT THIS WILL BE THEIR FINAL COMMUNICATION. THE NEXT DAY'S ITINERARY TAKES HER 420 MILES TO THE SOUTHERN RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON. BUT BEFORE SHE GETS THERE, SHE STOPS HERE. THE FORD NEEDS GAS. SO WHEN YOU SAW 2.70 A GALLON, YOU'RE THINKING, 'EW, THAT'S...' THAT'S A LOT. SO AMBER ONLY PUMPS IN ABOUT A THIRD OF A TANK. I WAS TRYING, LIKE, TO SKIMP HERE AND THERE. RIGHT. AND EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE DRIVING A COUPLE OF THOUSAND MILES, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE BUYING THE CHEAPEST GAS. YES. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A MONEY-SAVING MEASURE THAT WILL SOON PROVE EXTREMELY COSTLY. HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK, 'THAT IF I HAD JUST PUT IN $5 MORE 'OR PUT IN HALF A TANK INSTEAD OF A THIRD OF A TANK.' A LOT. A LOT. EVERY DAY. AND I COULD HAVE SPARED MYSELF A LOT OF GRIEF. 119 HOURS OF GRIEF, TO BE PRECISE. 'OH MY GOD, WHERE'S THE ROAD SUPPOSED TO BE.' AND MY HEART JUST PANICKED. AND AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, ALL OF IT IS DOCUMENTED DILIGENTLY ON AMBER'S PHONE. I'M REALLY SCARED. PLEASE HELP ME. YES. WHEN WE COME BACK, THINGS GO HORRIBLY WRONG FOR AMBER, AND THERE'S NO HELP AT HAND. ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) . Your kids use as much data as you do. So if you're tired of topping up their prepay, just add Red Share to your Red+ mobile plan and keep them connected with data to share and unlimited talk and TXT. 4 WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND TONIGHT'S STORY ABOUT AMBER VANHECKE, THE YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN WHOSE HOLIDAY ROAD TRIP TO THE GRAND CANYON BECAME A NIGHTMARE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL. AS 'STRANDED' CONTINUES, AMBER IS ABOUT TO LEARN A TOUGH LESSON, THAT PUTTING BLIND FAITH IN YOUR CELL PHONE'S G.P.S. SYSTEM IS NOT THE SAFEST WAY TO NAVIGATE YOUR WAY THROUGH A DESERT. HERE'S MATT GUTMAN. IT IS SUNDAY, MARCH 12, DAY TWO OF AMBER VANHECKE'S GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP. AND HER FERNWEH, THAT FAVOURITE TERM OF HERS FOR WANDERLUST, IS IN HIGH GEAR. WHERE DID YOU GO NEXT? UM, TO THE GRAND CANYON, ACTUALLY. THE GRAND CANYON IS ON MOST AMERICANS' BUCKET LISTS. NOW, AMBER IS FEARLESSLY CHECKING IT OFF HERS. AND I ASSURED MY MOM SHE'S OK. I HAVE AN UNDYING, LIKE, FAITH AND TRUST IN MY SISTER THAT SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF BECAUSE MY SISTER'S STRONG. IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME ABOUT GETTING LOST IN THE DESERT COS I HAVE REALLY DECENT NAVIGATION SKILLS. ALONG WITH THOSE SKILLS, SHE'S ALSO GOT A NAVIGATION APP,... PHONE: HEAD SOUTH. ...THE ALWAYS RELIABLE GOOGLE MAP. SHE TYPES IN THE NAME OF HER NEXT DESTINATION, THE HAVASU FALLS TRAIL HEAD, A REMOTE SPOT IN THE GRAND CANYON WITH AQUA BLUE PLUNGE POOLS, SO POPULAR IT REQUIRES A RESERVATION. THAT'S THE TRAIL HEAD? YEP. IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NOTHING. YES. RIGHT. SO LET'S GO. SO 63 MILES AND YOU ONLY HAD 90 MAX ON YOUR TANK, SO... THIS WEEK WE RETURN WITH AMBER TO THIS FATEFUL SPOT, THE PLACE WHERE, DIRECTED BY HER SMARTPHONE, AMBER TURNED OFF HIGHWAY 64 AND ON TO THIS DIRT ROAD. GOOGLE SAID TO GO ON A ROAD THAT I DIDN'T SEE, AND I WENT AGAINST MY BETTER INSTINCT. I TRUSTED GOOGLE MAPS, WHICH I SHOULDN'T HAVE. LET'S FACE IT. WE'RE ALL TOO DEPENDENT ON OUR DEVICES TO GET US PLACES, AND AMBER IS NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO DISCOVER THAT THAT CAN NEARLY GET YOU KILLED. PHONE: DRIVE 0.8 MILES TO DIRT ROAD. JUST ASK DONNA COOPER. BACK IN 2010 SHE TOO TRUSTED HER G.P.S. AND FOLLOWED IT BLINDLY DURING A TRIP THROUGH DEATH VALLEY, NEARLY FINDING OUT FOR HERSELF HOW ONE OF THE HOTTEST PLACES ON EARTH GOT ITS NAME. PHONE: RECALCULATING. IT JUST KEPT SAYING, 'GO THIS DISTANCE AND TAKE A TURN. MAKE A U-TURN.' PHONE: TURN LEFT ON OLD GHOST ROAD. THERE'S NOTHING THERE. WE WERE OUT OF GAS. WE WERE OUT OF ROAD. WE WERE OUT OF EVERYTHING. 20/20'S JAY SCHADLER SAW HOW NAVIGATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CAN SOMETIMES BE DANGEROUSLY OUTDATED. PHONE: TURN RIGHT ON GOLDEN CANYON ROAD. I DON'T SEE A ROAD. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A CANYON WALL. OH, DEFINITELY. I MEAN, THE ROAD USED TO GO AT LEAST A MILE IN HERE BUT THAT WASHED OUT IN 1976 IN A FLASH FLOOD, SO THIS ROAD HAS NOT EXISTED FOR 35 YEARS. AND A SIMILAR G.P.S SHORTCOMING IS ABOUT TO THREATEN AMBER'S LIFE AS WELL AFTER SHE MAKES THAT FATEFUL TURN OFF HIGHWAY 64. PHONE: TURN RIGHT. TURN RIGHT. SO WE'RE MAKING A RIGHT ON TO WILLAHA COUNTY ROAD. IT'S ALREADY A DIRT ROAD. SO YOU THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A BLACKTOP ROAD? I THOUGHT SO, AND THEN WHEN I GOT ON IT AND... IT SEEMED LIKE A REALLY WELL-TAKEN-CARE-OF GRAVEL ROAD. BUT IT IS A GRAVEL ROAD. PHONE: CONTINUE ON WILLAHA COUNTY ROAD FOR 14 MILES. SO WE'RE BARELY A MILE OFF THE ROAD AND WE'RE DRIVING IN EMPTY SPACE. CHECK THAT OUT. EVEN IF YOU HAD A COMPASS AND A MAP, LOOK AROUND. YOU DON'T HAVE NO POINTS. MOUNTAIN PEAK. MOUNTAIN PEAK. NOW I CAN TRIANGLE... YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THAT OUT HERE. YOU HAVE NOTHING. IT'S ROUGH. AND SO WITH NIGHT NOW FALLING, AMBER DRIVES FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF, FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, WHICH IS, ACTUALLY, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF GARY WILSON'S 1200 SQUARE MILE RANCH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE WEST. IT HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE TRYING TO GET ACROSS THIS RANCH. GOOGLE EARTH TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN, BUT THIS RANCH IS ACTUALLY CLOSED. I COULDN'T REALLY SEE VERY WELL. UM, JUST WHAT EVER MY HEADLIGHTS LIT UP. AND WHAT HER HEADLIGHTS LIT UP NEXT SPELT TROUBLE. AND THEN WHEN I CAME TO THE FENCE, AND I WAS LIKE, 'OH. THERE WASN'T A ROAD HERE.' THAT'S WHEN I WAS, LIKE, 'THIS IS NOT GOOD.' WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HIT THAT FENCE? 'OH MY GOD, WHERE'S THE ROAD SUPPOSED TO BE?' UH, THAT'S WHEN I TRIED GOING INTO THE GPS APP AND TELLING IT TO TAKE ME BACK ` HELP ME, TAKE ME BACK ` AND IT WAS LIKE, 'SORRY, YOU HAVE NO INTERNET SERVICE.' AND MY HEART JUST... PANICKED. AND AT WHAT POINT DO YOU START CALLING 911? I CALLED 911 AS SOON AS I REALISED I DIDN'T HAVE THE ROAD ANY MORE. AS AMBER FRANTICALLY DIALS 911, FOR A FLEETING MOMENT, A CONNECTION. I WAS IN SUCH A PANICKED STATE, WHEN THEY SAID, 'WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR EMERGENCY?' I JUST LET OUT A SOB, AND I SAID, 'PLEASE HELP ME.' AND I HEARD IT DROP, AND I JUST... IT'S STILL TOUGH FOR AMBER TO RECALL. (EXHALES SHAKILY) AS HER PANIC SWELLS, HER MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE DWINDLES. I WAS TRYNA WATCH MY GAS. I'M LIKE, 'COME ON,' K` RUBBING, LIKE, PETTING MY CAR, LIKE, 'COME ON, BABY. JUST A LITTLE FURTHER. WE GOTTA FIND A ROAD.' IS THAT ORANGE LIGHT BLINKING YET? OH, IT` IT'D BEEN BLINKING. SO I WAS LIKE, 'OK, I'M GONNA STOP FOR THE NIGHT, BECAUSE I'M JUST WASTING MORE GAS 'AND I'M DIGGING INTO MY RESERVE MORE AND MORE AS I DRIVE ON AND PANIC.' AMBER PARKS ALONG THE FIRST MAN-MADE STRUCTURE SHE FINDS, HOPING THIS SIGN OF CIVILISATION MIGHT MEAN POSSIBLE RESCUE. AND HOPED FOR THE BEST. GOT IN THE BACK. I WAS LIKE, 'I'M GONNA TRY AND SLEEP.' BUT INSTEAD, HER MIND RACES TO THE LOVE ONES WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE IS AND WHO MAY NEVER SEE HER AGAIN. WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON YOU STARTED TO THINK ABOUT? MY DAD. UH, THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, HE'S BEEN MY ROCK. AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE THOUGHTS OF, LIKE, 'MAYBE I SHOULD LEAVE A MESSAGE IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS...' THAT'S WHEN I MADE THE FIRST VIDEO. A VIDEO DIARY IN TOTAL DARKNESS, HER FACE NOT VISIBLE AT ALL. I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN, LIKE, SCARED FOR MY LIFE BEFORE NOW. IN CASE I DON'T, LIKE, GET FOUND, (SIGHS HEAVILY) I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO SAY. IT WAS BASICALLY A WILL AND TESTAMENT. I THOUGHT THAT IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END. I LOVE MY FAMILY ` MOM, DAD, KAYLEY. (INHALES DEEPLY, SIGHS HEAVILY) I JUST` I JUST WANNA GO HOME. I DON'T EVEN WANNA DO THIS TRIP ANY MORE. I'M SO SCARED. WHEN WE COME BACK ` AMBER HATCHES A PLAN. SHE'LL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SAVE HERSELF, PRAYING FOR SOME HELP FROM ABOVE. (TENSE MUSIC) SO, LOST AND ALONE IN THE DESERT. WHAT'S NEXT FOR AMBER? STAY WITH US. ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND TONIGHT'S STORY ABOUT THE YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN WHO HEADED OUT ON A ROAD TRIP AND ENDED UP FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE. AFTER FOLLOWING HER GPS, AMBER VANHECKE IS LOST IN THE DESERT, BUT SHE'S A RESOURCEFUL YOUNG WOMAN WITH PLENTY OF SURVIVAL EXPERIENCE, AND SHE'S GOT A PLAN TO GET HERSELF OUT. MATT GUTMAN CONTINUES THE STORY. (AMBIENT MUSIC) MONDAY MARCH 13TH. AS DAWN BREAKS OVER THE ARIZONA HORIZON, AMBER VANHECKE AWAKES INSIDE A SPRAWLING 1200 SQUARE MILE PRISON OF SOLITUDE AND CONTINUES THE VIDEO DIARY OF HER ORDEAL. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD DRIVE BY... (MUSIC CONTINUES) ...OR THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME LOOKING FOR ME. SHE'S OUT OF GAS. SHE CAN KEEP HER PHONE CHARGED THROUGH THE CAR BATTERY, BUT IT HAS NO CELL SERVICE. SO AMBER'S LEFT TERRIFYINGLY UNMOORED FROM THE TWO GREAT ANCHORS OF MODERN LIFE ` TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION. (SIGHS) HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T TAKE TOO LONG TO BE FOUND. GOT OTHER THINGS I GOTTA DO. SHE'S ACTUALLY STRANDED ON THAT VAST CATTLE RANCH. AMBER'S CAR SITS IN THE SHADE OF THIS EMPTY, RUSTED TANK, MEANT TO HOLD WATER FOR THE LIVESTOCK. AND LOOK ` THIS DIRT ROAD RUNS NEARBY. USUALLY WE HAVE A COWBOY IN THIS AREA, AND HE WOULD'VE RUN ON TO THIS LADY. BUT AS RANCHER GARY WILSON EXPLAINS, THAT COWBOY WILL NOT BE MOSEYING ON BY ANY TIME SOON. HE WAS GONE FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS, AND THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE TIME THAT SHE WAS OUT HERE. JUST THE TIMING WAS ALL WRONG. BACK HOME IN PLANO, AMBER'S FATHER, STEVEN, IS LATE FOR WORK, AND HE'S GROWING CONCERNED THAT HE HASN'T HEARD FROM AMBER. I'M SURPRISED I STILL HAVE MY JOB, ACTUALLY, COS I SNAPPED AT MY BOSS THAT DAY (CHUCKLES) COS I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HER. AT 12.45, HE PINGS AMBER ON HER LOCATER APP. THERE'S NO RESPONSE. 15 MINUTES LATER, HE CALLS HER CELL PHONE. THERE'S NO ANSWER. (SIGHS) FREAKING OUT A LITTLE BIT. BUT BY NOW, AMBER IS DETERMINED TO HELP HERSELF. AND REMEMBER ` SHE HAS 10 YEARS OF GIRL SCOUT TRAINING AND JUNIOR R.O.T.C HONOURS. NOW IT'S TIME TO PUT THAT KNOWLEDGE TO USE. SURE SHE WAS SCARED, SHE WAS FRIGHTENED, BUT THAT DID NOT CAUSE HER TO FREEZE. SHE DID THE THINGS THAT SHE KNEW TO DO THE BEST WAY SHE KNEW HOW TO DO 'EM, AND THAT'S COURAGE. THERE IS ONE ENCOURAGING SIGN OF HUMAN LIFE, ONE HOPE FLYING OVERHEAD. THAT'S THE PASSING OF AN OCCASIONAL PLANE OR HELICOPTER. THERE WERE SIGNS OF CIVILISATION LITERALLY RIGHT ABOVE YOUR HEAD. YES. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? INTENSELY FRUSTRATING, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE, 'PLEASE SEE ME. PLEASE SEE ME. I NEED SOME HELP.' IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE FLYING, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE, COS WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NO PEOPLE OUT THERE. THE AIRSPACE IS MOSTLY USED BY TOUR COMPANIES AND COMMERCIAL PILOTS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. DANIEL LYONS, A LOCAL PILOT, POINTS OUT THAT EVEN IF AMBER WERE SIGNALLING AN AIRCRAFT, SHE'D BE TOUGH TO SEE. THE ROCKS DON'T CHANGE ALL THAT MUCH, SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF LOOKING OUT, YOU KNOW? SAME ROCKS. A HELICOPTER JUST FLEW BY. (SIGHS) I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WAVED AS FRANTICALLY AS I COULD, BUT... I GUESS UP THERE IT'S HARD TO NOTICE SMALL THINGS ON THE GROUND. SO AMBER MAKES SOME BIG THINGS ON THE GROUND. PULLING LARGE ROCKS OUT OF THE DIRT, SHE ARRANGES THEM INTO A 20FT-LONG PLEA FOR HELP. SHE'S PICKED A SPOT WITH DARKER EARTH, HOPING THE CONTRAST WITH THE ROCKS WILL MAKE HER PLEA MORE VISIBLE FROM HIGH UP. SHE ALSO MAKES A FIRE, WITH THE HOPES THAT BILLOWS OF DARK SMOKE WILL ALERT PLANES FLYING BY. THE SMOKE JUST ISN'T DARK ENOUGH. (SIGHS) FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I CAN'T GET ANYTHING HERE TO BURN BLACK. IT ALL JUST BURNS GREY OR NOT AT ALL. EVERYTHING IN THE DESERT'S TOO DRY. BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS ` AMBER'S BROUGHT PLENTY OF FOOD AND WATER. SHE JUST NEEDS TO RATION THEM METICULOUSLY. THREE BOTTLES A DAY SHOULD LAST ME FOR AT LEAST A WEEK AND A HALF. (SOFT MUSIC) HER MOXY ISN'T RUNNING OUT EITHER, BUT AS THE HOURS STRETCH OUT, SHE SUCCUMBS TO MOMENTS OF MISERY. YOU KNOW, IN MOVIES, THEY ALWAYS JUST SHOW THE RESCUE; THEY DON'T REALLY SHOW THE PANIC PARTS IN BETWEEN ` THE FEAR. I JUST WANNA GO HOME. IN THE MOMENT, THERE WERE SO MANY WHAT IFS, LIKE 'WHAT IF I NEVER GET FOUND?' 'WHAT IF I GET CAUGHT BY AN AXE MURDERER OUT HERE IN THE DESERT 'AND NO ONE WOULD EVER FIND MY BODY?' YOU KNOW? YES, BUT THE DARK AND YOU'RE THINKING SCORPIONS AND MAYBE SNAKES AND COYOTES. I MEAN, THIS MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFYING. I'VE HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH A SCORPION. I DON'T WISH TO REPEAT IT. IT STUNG. I DIDN'T LIKE IT. (COYOTE HOWLS) NIGHT DESCENDS AGAIN. SO TOO DOES THE THOUGHT THAT SHE MAY NEVER MAKE IT HOME. AMBER RECORDS THIS MEDITATION ON MORTALITY. I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE MORE PROFOUND THOUGHTS WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA DIE. I GUESS MAYBE I SHOULD ASK MYSELF, 'DID I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD?' I MEAN, I KNOW I DIDN'T. I'M ONLY 24. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING MEANINGFUL YET. I GUESS AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST COUNTING ON MY FATHER CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN, FOR HIM TO NOTICE THAT SOMETHING'S AWRY. DID THAT YOUNG WOMAN THINK THAT SHE WAS GONNA DIE? (SNIFFLES) (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) BY TUESDAY MARCH 14TH, STEVEN VANHECKE IS LEGITIMATELY WORRIED. HE'S GOTTEN NO CALLS, NO TEXTS, NO WORD AT ALL FROM HIS DAUGHTER. WHEN YOU STILL CAN'T FIND HER, THEN I'M GONNA SAY THAT'S IT ` LIKE, YOU'RE DEAD INSIDE. HE HOLDS OUT HOPE THAT SHE'S JUST OUT OF CELL-PHONE RANGE WHILE CAMPING AT THE HAVASU FALLS. IN REALITY, SHE IS STRUGGLING THROUGH HER THIRD DAY ALONE IN THE DESERT. IT'S FREEZING HERE AT NIGHT ` LIKE, REALLY COLD. BUT I WRAP MYSELF IN... TWO BLANKETS, A COMFORTER AND A JACKET. BUT IN THE DAY IT'S PRETTY WARM. WARM ENOUGH, IN FACT, TO HEAT SOME OF HER RAMEN NOODLES ON HER CAR. YOU COOKED THE NOODLES SOMEHOW. I DON'T KNOW` I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS WARM ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED COOKED, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY AL DENTE. AL DENTE. VERY NICE. YEAH. YEAH. HER PLAN ` JUST STAY PUT UNTIL HELP ARRIVES. JUST STAY ALIVE. JUST STAY SANE. SO WHAT KIND OF THINGS DID YOU THINK ABOUT JUST TO MAKE THE TIME PASS MORE QUICKLY,... I` ...SITTING OUT HERE? I READ A LOT, AND, UH, WENT THROUGH A LOT OF BOOKS. IT COULD'VE BEEN 12. IT COULD'VE BEEN MORE. SHE ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH SOME OF THE LOCALS. THESE CRATERS THAT PEPPER THIS ELECTION LUNAR-LIKE LANDSCAPE ARE ACTUALLY PRAIRIE DOG BURROWS. (CHATTERS) I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE LITTLE, UH, PRAIRIE DOGS THAT LIVE AROUND HERE, COS THIS PLACE IS RIDDLED WITH PRAIRIE DOG, UH, BURROWS. THEY'RE JUST REALLY CUTE. I'VE GOT COWS, PRAIRIE DOGS AND COYOTES FOR COMPANY. AND BUGS. COMING UP ` A SUDDEN CHANCE OF A RESCUE ROARS BY... I STARTED TO CHASE DOWN A TRUCK, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE ME IN THEIR REAR-VIEW. ...BUT LEAVES AMBER IN THE DUST. (BREATHES HEAVILY) SO THINGS ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR AMBER. STAY WITH US TO SEE HOW SHE COPES WITH THIS LATEST SETBACK. ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND TONIGHT'S STORY, 'STRANDED'. AMBER VANHECKE IS THE YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN WHO BECAME LOST IN THE DESERT AFTER HER GPS SENT HER DOWN A NON-EXISTENT ROAD. SHE'S RECORDING HER THOUGHTS ON HER PHONE, BUT AFTER SPENDING TWO NIGHTS ALONE IN THE DESERT, OUT OF PETROL AND OUT OF CELL-PHONE RANGE, WELL, SHE STARTING TO GET WORRIED. MATT GUTMAN CONTINUES HER STORY. IT'S BEEN THREE LONG DAYS SINCE AMBER VANHECKE'S SMARTPHONE GAVE HER SOME PRETTY DUMB DIRECTIONS. PHONE: TURN RIGHT ON TO COUNTY ROAD. (MOVING MUSIC) THE 24-YEAR-OLD NOW FINDS HERSELF AT THE CROSSROADS OF DESPERATION AND DESPAIR. ISOLATED NEAR THE GRAND CANYON, SHE'S OUT OF GAS AND NEARLY OUT OF TIME. MAKING MATTERS WORSE, A SERIES OF NEAR MISSES AS SHE TRIES TO CONNECT WITH SOMEONE ` ANYONE. IT'S NOW WEDNESDAY MARCH 15TH. AMBER WAKES UP FRUSTRATED ` WITH THE SITUATION AND WITH HERSELF. BEEN OUT HERE FOR... (SIGHS) 63 HOURS NOW. WHISPERS: SOMETHIN' LIKE THAT. I FEEL SO DUMB. BACK IN TEXAS, WITH HER PARENTS WORRIED SICK, DAD BEGINS AN ACTIVE HUNT FOR HIS DAUGHTER. I POSTED IN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK. I SAID, 'LOOK, MY DAUGHTER'S MISSING. I NEED SOME PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIND HER, 'AND THIS IS THE LAST PLACE I SAW HER.' THE PROBLEM ` STEVEN REFERENCES AMBER'S LAST-KNOWN LOCATION IN NEW MEXICO, WHERE HER APP PINGED HIM BACK ON SATURDAY. AND I WAS SENDING 'EM TO (CHUCKLES) ALBUQUERQUE. BUT, BASICALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR DAUGHTER... ...IN THE WRONG PLACE. THIS IS AWFUL. I HATE IT. I HATE BEING... HELPLESS. ANOTHER DAY SLIDES OFF THE CALENDAR, BUT SUDDENLY, THE MOMENT AMBER HAS BEEN WAITING FOR. RESCUE APPEARS TO BE AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY. A RED TRUCK, KICKING UP A TRAIL OF DUST, HEADS TOWARDS HER. THERE'S THAT ONE DAY WITH THAT TRUCK RUMBLING RIGHT PAST YOU. AND YOU EVEN HEAR THAT WORD AGAIN AND YOU START SHAKING. SEEING THAT TRUCK, IT WAS, LIKE, SOMEONE CLOSE BY ` NOT IN THE AIR BY SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET THAT MIGHT NOT SEE ME. THEY SHOULD SEE ME. THEY'RE RIGHT HERE. HOW FAR WAS YOUR CAR FROM THE ROAD WHEN THAT TRUCK PASSED? I'D HAVE TO SAY MAYBE 7FT. BUT THE SILO BLOCKED ME FROM THEIR VIEW, SO IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT AT ALL. SENSING THIS COULD BE HER LAST CHANCE AT SURVIVAL, THE SPRING BREAKER SPRINGS INTO ACTION, BAREFOOT. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED OUT OF MY CAR AND TRIED TO RUN AFTER THEM, NOT THINKING ABOUT MY FEET, NOT THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, COS I WAS LIKE, 'IF THIS IS WHERE I GET OUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.' BUT I COULDN'T KEEP UP, AND WITH HOW MUCH DUST AND STUFF THERE WAS KICKED UP, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE ME. OUTSPRINTED BY A PICKUP TRUCK, THE IMAGE OF THE BAREFOOT MILLENNIAL SOON DISAPPEARS INTO A CLOUD OF DUST. ANOTHER ENTRY FOR THE VIDEO DIARY. JUST TRIED TO CHASE DOWN A TRUCK, (SNIFFLES) BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE ME IN THEIR REAR-VIEW. (BREATHES HEAVILY) I'M OK. (SNIFFLES) WITH NOTHING BUT TIME ON HER HANDS, AMBER BEGINS TO QUESTION HER OWN CHOICES. AFTERWARDS, I WAS LIKE, 'I SHOULD'VE JUST HONKED MY HORN. THEY WOULD'VE HEARD THAT.' AND THERE WAS, LIKE, SO MANY THINGS AFTER THE FACT THAT I WAS LIKE, 'I SHOULD'VE DONE THIS. I SHOULD'VE DONE THIS.' AND I JUST BEAT MYSELF UP ABOUT IT. (MELANCHOLIC MUSIC) MY FEET ARE TORN UP COS I WASN'T WEARING SHOES AT THE TIME, SO... I MIGHT HAVE TO RETHINK TRAVELLING EAST OR WEST TOMORROW. (SIGHS) MY CAR'S OFFICIALLY OUT OF GAS. I TRIED DRIVING A LITTLE BIT, AND I BACKED IT UP TO CLOSER BEHIND THIS THING. BUT IT WON'T GO ANY FURTHER. FRUSTRATED, THIS TIME SHE BUILDS A ROAD BLOCK TO PREVENT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM PASSING HER BY. THAT'S THE INCIDENT THAT CAUSED ME TO BARRICADE THE ROAD. I BUILT A LITTLE ROCK THING AND PUT THIS HEADLAMP THAT I HAVE FOR WHEN I DO CAVE DIVING AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND SET IT ON STROBE, PUT IT ON TOP. IN THE DARK OF NIGHT, THE DIARY CONTINUES. ALMOST EXACTLY A HUNDRED HOURS OUT HERE NOW, AND ALL I CAN KEEP THINKING IS HOW MUCH I WANT MY DADDY... (BREATHES SHAKILY) AND MOM. I DON'T WANNA BE ALONE ANY MORE. (SOBS) WHAT WAS THE THING THAT YOU YEARNED FOR MOST AS YOU WERE SITTING THERE DAY AFTER DAY? A HUG. I FELT SO ALONE AND DISCONNECTED FROM EVERYTHING. ALL I REALLY WANTED WAS JUST TO BE HUGGED AND HELD AND COMFORTED. BUT HOW MUCH IS SHE WILLING TO RISK TO GET THAT HUG? IS SHE WILLING TO LEAVE THE SAFETY OF HER OWN VEHICLE? IN A WELL-KNOWN INCIDENT, RECOUNTED IN THE DOCUMENTARY 'WRONG TURN', THE KIM FAMILY GOT STRANDED IN THE OREGON WILDERNESS. JAMES KIM AND HIS FAMILY DISAPPEARED WHILE RETURNING FROM A THANKSGIVING ROAD TRIP TO THE NORTHWEST. AFTER WAITING FOR A RESCUE THAT NEVER CAME, PATRIARCH JAMES KIM LEFT ON FOOT TO FIND HELP, WITH DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. HE WALKED 16 MILES BEFORE DYING FROM HYPOTHERMIA. NOW AMBER FACES THE SAME QUESTION. AT WHAT POINT DID YOU DECIDE THAT YOU HAD TO RESCUE YOURSELF? BY ABOUT THE FOURTH DAY I FIGURED THERE SHOULD'VE BEEN AT LEAST A SEARCH OUT, BUT I HADN'T SEEN ANYTHING, HEARD ANYTHING, AND THAT TRUCK HELPED ME REALISE THAT IF I WAS GONNA GET OUT, I HAD TO DO IT FOR ME. THE NEAREST GAS STATION IS 40 MILES AWAY. THE NEAREST DRINK OF WATER IS A TWO-DAY'S WALK SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES OF WILDERNESS, AND YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW EASY IT IS TO GET INTO TROUBLE HER. OUT OF OPTIONS, AMBER DECIDES TO MAKE HER MOVE. THE PLAN ` TO STAY ALONG THE ROAD AND WALK AS FAR AS SHE CAN AS FAST AS SHE CAN IN SEARCH OF A CELL SIGNAL. BUT, AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, WHILE SHE'S OUT ON THE ROAD, THE CAVALRY SHOWS UP AT HER MAKESHIFT BASE CAMP TO RESCUE HER. IT'S A BIT OF A LET-DOWN WHEN YOU SAY, 'OK, WE'VE FOUND 'EM,' AND NOBODY'S THERE. ONCE AGAIN, AMBER IS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. (MELANCHOLIC MUSIC) THE BAD LUCK JUST KEEPS STACKING UP FOR AMBER, BUT AS YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE COME BACK, SHE NEVER GIVES UP. ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) ('20/20' THEME MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND A REMARKABLE STORY OF SURVIVAL . LOST AND ALONE IN THE DESERT FOR FIVE DAYS, OUT OF PETROL AND OUT OF CELL-PHONE RANGE, AMBER VANHECKE DECIDES TO TRY AND WALK OUT, BUT IT'S A DANGEROUS DECISION, BECAUSE WHILE SHE'S AWAY, THE POLICE FIND HER ABANDONED CAR. SO IS SHE SMART ENOUGH AND EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO LEAD HER RESCUERS TO HER? MATT GUTMAN CONTINUES THE STORY. (AMBIENT MUSIC) IT IS THE MORNING OF FRIDAY MARCH 17TH. WHILE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS CELEBRATING ST PATRICK'S DAY, AMBER VANHECKE DECIDES TO MAKE HER OWN LUCK. WOKE UP FEELING HOPEFUL TODAY, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. SHE ABANDONS THE SAFETY OF HER IMMOBILISED CAR AND SETS OUT IN SEARCH OF A CELL-PHONE SIGNAL. I DIDN'T WANT TO STRAY OFF TOO FAR IN A DIRECTION THAT DIDN'T FOLLOW A ROAD COS I DIDN'T WANNA NOT BE ABLE TO FIND BY WAY BACK. AMBER TAKES ME BACK TO THAT DESOLATE SPOT WHERE SHE WOUND UP ON HER LONG, DESPERATE HIKE. IT'S AMAZING. YOU CAN SEE FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN SO CLEARLY FROM HERE, AND IT'S` THAT'S ACTUALLY WHY I CHOSE TO WALK THAT WAY, UM, COS FLAGSTAFF HAS CELL TOWERS ON IT, AND I KNEW THAT, SO THOUGHT IT'D BE THE BEST BET. THAT'S PRETTY SMART. AFTER HIKING PAINFUL MILES ON INJURED FEET, DIALLING 911 MORE THAN 70 TIMES, SUDDENLY, LIKE A RAY OF HOPE, A CELL-PHONE SIGNAL. AT LONG LAST, AMBER MAKES CONTACT. WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE TO FINALLY GET A SIGNAL AND, AFTER FIVE DAYS, SPEAK TO A HUMAN? ALL I COULD THINK WAS DESPERATION ` MORE SO THAN RELIEF AT THAT POINT. IT WAS JUST MOSTLY DESPERATE TO GET OUT THE RIGHT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY COULD SEND SOMEONE. I STARTED CRYING, UM, AND SAYING, 'PLEASE HELP ME.' SHE TELLS THE OPERATOR SHE'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HAVASU PARK AND THE HIGHWAY THAT GOES INTO THE SOUTHERN RIM VISITOR CENTRE. SHE'S LIKE, 'IN THE GRAND CANYON?' I WAS LIKE, 'NO, MA'AM. I'M IN THE DESERT. 'I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE DAYS.' AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS GONNA SAY AFTER THAT, COS IT WAS GONE. THAT'S RIGHT ` GONE. THE CALL DROPPED. THE LIFELINE GOES DEAD. I WAS JUST HEARTBROKEN, I GUESS, IN THAT MOMENT, COS I WASN'T SURE HOW SEARCH AND RESCUE WORKED. I KNEW THEY NEEDED INFORMATION TO FIND OUT WHERE I WAS. I WASN'T SURE IF THEY WOULDN'T SEND SOMEONE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION. AND I WASN'T SURE WHERE THEY WOULD BE LOOKING, IF THEY WOULD BE LOOKING IN THE RIGHT PLACE. AND I WAS WASTING DAYLIGHT. I WAS LIKE, 'I NEED TO GET BACK TO MY CAR BEFORE DUSK, 'COS I DON'T WANNA ABANDON MY SHELTER OR THE FOOD AND WATER THAT I HAVE.' AND I DECIDED TO HEAD BACK AND TRY AGAIN NEXT DAY. WE HAD A VIRTUALLY UNREADABLE 911 CALL. UNKNOWN LOCATION. WOMAN WAS PANICKING. AMBER DOESN'T KNOW IT, BUT HELP IS ALREADY ON THE WAY. AUTHORITIES SCRAMBLE THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY RESCUE TEAM, PILOT JONAH NIEVES AND PARAMEDIC EDGAR BISSONNETTE. THE MESSAGE WE GOT FROM COCONINO COUNTY WAS THAT THERE WAS A FEMALE WHO SAID THAT SHE WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HAVASUPAI AND THE SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON, SHE'S BEEN STRANDED FOR FIVE DAYS. PLEASE HELP. AND THEN THE CALL DROPPED. ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) AMBER HAD PROVIDED JUST ENOUGH INFORMATION TO POINT NIEVES AND BISSONNETTE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. RETRACING THEIR ROUTE, THEY SHOW US HOW THEY SPOTTED SOMETHING NOT UNCOMMON IN THE DESERT ` THE SUN GLINTING OFF OF SOMETHING SHINY. JONAH LOOKS IN THAT DIRECTION. HE SAYS, 'OH, I SEE A GLARE.' BUT THAT GLARE IS FAR FROM THE SEARCH AREA. THEY DEBATE WHETHER TO DETOUR MILES OUT OF THEIR WAY, FINALLY CHOOSING, ON A GUT INSTINCT, TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. 'LET'S GO CHECK THIS GLARE OUT. WHO KNOWS? IT MIGHT BE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.' IT WAS A FATEFUL DECISION. AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT, JONAH SAYS, 'HEY, I SEE A HELP SIGN.' AND I LOOK DOWN, AND WE SEE, IN MUST'VE BEEN, LIKE, 20FT, 30FT LETTERS, THE WORD 'HELP' WRITTEN OUTTA ROCKS ON THE GROUND NEXT TO THE CAR. AND WE WERE LIKE, 'THIS HAS GOT TO BE IT.' THEY LAND THE CHOPPER, BUT THERE'S NOBODY IN SIGHT. IT'S A BIT OF A LET-DOWN WHEN YOU CIRCLE AN AREA AND SAY, 'OK, WE FOUND 'EM,' AND NOBODY'S THERE. SO, 'OK, WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT HAPPENED TO 'EM?' MILES AWAY, AMBER HAD SEEN THE HELICOPTER PASS OVERHEAD WITHOUT NOTICING HER. YOU SEE THAT HELICOPTER TEAR OVER YOU, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO WAVE TO IT AND GET ATTENTION, AND IT KEEPS GOING. I RAN TO THE TOP OF THE NEXT HILL. I WAS LIKE, 'PLEASE SEE ME,' AND THEN THE HELICOPTER WAS GONE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS, AND SO I WAS CRYING WHILE WALKING, WHICH IS THE UGLIEST CRY YOU CAN PROBABLY DO... (BOTH CHUCKLE) ...(SNIFFLES) AND JUST HOPING THEY WOULD COME BACK. BACK AT THE CAR, AMBER WISELY HAD LEFT THIS MESSAGE. NUTSHELL, IT SAID, 'I'M NOT HERE. I WALKED EAST ALONG THE ROAD TO FIND CELL-PHONE SIGNAL. 'IF YOU'RE READING THIS SIGN, PLEASE HELP ME.' AND JONAH SAID, 'LET'S GO.' SO I WENT BACK INTO THE HELICOPTER, WE LOADED UP AND CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD FROM THERE. (SOFT MUSIC) AND THEN I HEARD A CHOPPER AGAIN, AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE SPECK GETTING BIGGER. AND WE FLEW EAST, AND I'M LOOKING OFF TO THE LEFT, JONAH'S GOT THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM. AND AT THAT POINT I'M SCANNING, AND JONAH SAYS, 'I GOT 'EM. EYES ON.' AND I LOOK, AND I SEE SOMEONE JUMPING UP AND DOWN IN THE ROAD, WAVING AT US. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) AND I WAS LIKE, (BREATHES HEAVILY) (LAUGHS) 'THEY'RE COMING FOR ME.' (MUSIC CONTINUES) THAT'S A GOOD FEELING, ISN'T IT? (CHUCKLES) YES. (SNIFFLES) YES. (HELICOPTER ROTORS WHIRR) (UPLIFTING MUSIC CONTINUES) SO, NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I'M 2FT FROM HER, AND FIRST THING THAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH WAS, UH, 'DID YOU CALL?' AND HE'S LIKE, 'HI. DID YOU CALL?' AS JUST, SORT OF, A JOKE, YOU KNOW? AND ALL I COULD ANSWER WAS, 'HI,' AND THEN SOBBING ` UGLY SOBBING. I WAS JUST` AND HOLDING ON TO HIM. (LAUGHS) AND I FEEL SO BAD, COS I WAS JUST LIKE, 'HUMAN CONTACT.' (SNIFFLES) DID HE HUG YOU BACK? YES, HE DID, AND THEN HE WAS LIKE` YOU KNOW, PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME AND HELPED WALK ME TOWARDS THE HELICOPTER. THE CREW REASSURES AMBER SHE'S GONNA BE OK. UM, I WAS LIKE, 'I FEEL SO DUMB FOR GETTING STUCK OUT HERE.' AND I SAID, 'WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DID EVERYTHING RIGHT, 'BESIDES RUNNING OUT OF THE GAS. AND, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD TO GET LOST, 'I WOULDN'T MIND GETTING STRANDED WITH YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.' AND I'M LIKE, 'THANK YOU.' (BOTH CHUCKLE) (WARM MUSIC) THE HELICOPTER FLIES AMBER STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL IN FLAGSTAFF. THERE, SHE CALLS HER PARENTS. I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN... THE RELIEF... OF HEARING HER VOICE. I SAID, 'WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU O`? I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALIVE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHERE ARE YOU AT?' SHE GOES, 'I'M SORRY, PAPA,' AND I WAS LIKE, 'WHAT ARE YOU APOLOGISING FOR? 'I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU.' SHE GOES, 'I THOUGHT YOU WERE HUNTING FOR ME.' I SAID, 'I WAS ` IN THE WRONG PLACE.' (SOBS) VOICE BREAKS: IN THE WRONG PLACE. (POIGNANT MUSIC) (SOBS) WHAT WAS YOUR REUNION LIKE WITH YOUR DAD? HE JUST HELD ME WHILE I CRIED, UM, AND PICKED ME UP IN A HUG. (MUSIC CONTINUES) IT WAS NICE. (CHUCKLES) BUT SOMETIMES JUST ONE HUG ISN'T ENOUGH,... HEY, PAPA. ...AS WE SAW WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING AMBER AND HER DAD ARRIVED. THAT INCREDIBLE SURVIVAL STORY ` A WOMAN STRANDED... ...IN THE ARIZONA DESERT FOR FIVE DAYS. THIS WAS 119 HOURS OF TERROR. FOR FIVE DAYS, AMBER MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, BUT NOW, BACK ON THE GRID, SHE'S PRETTY EASILY RECOGNISED. I READ ABOUT YOU. (LAUGHS) AMBER IS STILL HEALING ` BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. YOU STILL HAVE ON YOUR HOSPITAL BAND. YEAH, IT'S A SENTIMENTAL, WEIRD THING I DO. UH, PREVIOUSLY WHEN I'VE HAD THESE, I DON'T TAKE 'EM OFF TILL I'M OVER WHATEVER I WENT THROUGH. AND I'M NOT OVER IT ` UH, NOT YET. (WARM MUSIC) NOW, TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS FOUND, A SURPRISE FOR AMBER ` WE REUNITE HER WITH TWO SPECIAL GUESTS. (GASPS) EDGAR AND JONAH. HI. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YA. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. EDGAR AND I WANNA GET YOU A LITTLE SOMETHING ` A SMALL LITTLE GIFT. WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK OUT TO ARIZONA, BUT, UH, WE WANT YOU TO DO IT ON A FULL TANK OF GAS THIS TIME, SO HERE IS A GAS CARD. (ALL LAUGH) LAUGHS: THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE SURE TO FILL UP. YEAH. (LAUGHTER CONTINUES) SAFELY BACK AT HOME WITH HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WHO SHE THOUGHT SHE MIGHT NEVER SEE AGAIN, SHE MAKES A FINAL VIDEO DIARY. (EXHALES HEAVILY) THIS HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND OF EMOTIONS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE LESS ANXIETY NOW ABOUT THE ENTIRE THING, WHICH IS GOOD. I FEEL LIKE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO LOSE THE WRISTBAND, ACTUALLY. AND, UH,... I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT STEP. (GENTLE MUSIC) THERE WE GO. ALL DONE. (SIGHS) KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, WOULD YOU GO ON ANOTHER SOLO ROAD TRIP AGAIN? EVENTUALLY I WILL. I'M NOT GONNA LET FEAR STOP ME FROM DOING ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD. (MUSIC CONTINUES) AND A REMINDER ` YOUR GPS SHOULD BE USED AS A NAVIGATIONAL AID ONLY. DRIVERS ALSO NEED TO USE THEIR COMMON SENSE. THAT SAID, AMBER'S IS A REMARKABLE STORY OF SURVIVAL. THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. KIA ORA. NGA MIHI.