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  • From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [MSAR] New Mexico man found, dog missing
  • Date: Sat, 5 Dec 2009 13:09:46 -0700

In New Mexico, a local newspaper in Silver City does an unusually good
job of reporting on search and rescue missions in the area. The area
includes the Gila Wilderness, a magnet for solo hikers from around the
world. In this week's search the subject was found by chance by local
horse riders, 6 days after he set out on a day hike and did not return
to his car.

Una Smith
New Mexico

http://www.scsun-news.com/ci_13931883
http://www.scsun-news.com/ci_13923061
http://www.scsun-news.com/ci_13915259


By Christine Steele / Sun-News Bureau Chief
Posted: 12/05/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

SILVER CITY - Robert Sumrall, a 67-year-old El Paso man, was found
alive Friday afternoon after being missing since last Saturday, when
he did not return from a day hike at Emory Pass with his dog, Zulu.

A helicopter from Southwest Medevac was called in to fly him to an El
Paso hospital. No information was available as to his condition, but
the woman who found him said she doubted he would have survived
another day.

Melba Parra, and her husband, Tom, were heading out on their horses to
round up cattle late Friday afternoon on the ranch they lease on Royal
John Mine Road, when Melba spotted Sumrall lying in an arroyo, under a
tree, with his dog Zulu at his side.

"We were coming in with the horses and we found him lying in an
arroyo. My husband went for help," Parra said. "I think the only thing
that kept him alive in this cold was this black lab. She was laying
next to him. He was really cold "

While her husband went for help, Melba stayed with Sumrall.

"We put jackets on him and tried to keep him warm," Parra said, "and I
covered up his head."

Parra lay down close to Sumrall, trying to give him some body heat.

"His mouth was really dry, I gave him some water. He was moaning and
kept saying he wanted me to hold his hand," she said.

While Parra comforted Sumrall and tried to keep him warm, Zulu took off.

Parra said Sumrall was lying on damp ground, and wearing jeans, light
hiking boots, a thin windbreaker and thin coat, and the backs of his
hands were all scratched up.

Parra stayed with him and talked to him until help arrived.

Search and rescue volunteer Marc Levesque, who worked communications
at incident base on the search Thursday, said Sumrall was found five
miles up on Royal John Mine Road.

Parra said she first read about Sumrall being missing in Thursday's
Sun-News.

"My dad and I used to hunt these mountains, and I thought maybe he
followed the Gallinas down from Emory Pass. I was just thinking about
him and feeling really bad, and when I saw him I just knew right away
that was him," she said. "He wouldn't have survived another night out
there. You can see where he was kicking in the sand. I guess God must
have put us over here for him."

Searchers began looking for Sumrall on Sunday afternoon, and searched
through the night in blizzard conditions. The heavy snow forced them
to temporarily call off the search Monday afternoon, but it resumed
again on Tuesday. He endured bitter cold temperatures throughout the
week.

After Sumrall was medevaced out, Parra's husband, Tom, and his
brother, Abie, continued searching the canyons for Sumrall's dog,
Zulu, who likely helped him survive six cold nights in the mountains.
They were joined by Frankie Benois, a search and rescue area commander
who lives off Royal John Mine Road.

"I don't think she'll come to them," Melba Parra said.

Parra left Zulu a bowl of dog food at the spot where she found her
lying with Sumrall, and said she would be willing to go back this
morning to help search for her.

Neighbors all along the stretch of Royal John Mine Road where Robert
Sumrall was found have phoned each other and are leaving their lights
on and periodically going outside to call Zulu's name in hopes that
she will come to them.

At 7 p.m. Friday night, Paige Strait, Robert Sumrall's daughter, was
at University Hospital in El Paso with her stepsister, Wendy Hoggard,
and Wendy's husband, Chris, waiting for Sumrall and to find out more
on his condition.

They plan to help in the search for Zulu today.

"Zulu is still out there," Strait said. "She's terrified and won't
come to them. Tomorrow my sister and I are going to go out there with
a package of hot dogs and her favorite toy."

Christine Steele can be reached at csteele@scsun-news.com; (575)
538-5893, ext. 5802.



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