A routine ATV ride through remote trails in northern Minnesota turned into a life-saving rescue after two longtime friends discovered a missing woman trapped in mud and water three days after she disappeared, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Adam Sandbeck and Mike Gravalin, who have spent decades exploring trails together, set out Saturday for what they expected would be a normal off-road ride.
The pair had originally planned to participate in an organized ATV run connected to a local bar, but after realizing they had mixed up the event date, they decided to explore unfamiliar trails instead.
A pair of ATVers rescue a missing woman who@was stuck in ‘quicksand’ mud for 3 days: ‘Had to be God’. https://t.co/UrBxn6Zq38 [2]
— CJ4America2 (@GrammyC4Zone2) June 12, 2026 [3]
That decision ultimately led them to 68-year-old Kathryn Woessner, who had been missing for three days and was the subject of an active search.
According to Sandbeck, the two men were traveling roughly 30 miles from their preferred RV park when they realized their ATV was running low on fuel.
Looking for a shortcut, they headed down a rough trail filled with potholes and soon came across a stranded minivan.
Gravalin, a retired deputy U.S. marshal, immediately felt something was wrong.
Initially, he suspected the vehicle might be part of an ambush or some other unusual situation. As the two men looked around the area, they spotted what appeared to be a body partially submerged in water and mud.
“I just remember saying to myself, ‘Oh my God, please don’t be a dead person.’ She was completely submerged,” Sandbeck recalled.
“The water was almost coming over her mouth,” Gravalin added.
As they approached, they heard the woman quietly say, “Help me.”
Two longtime friends said an unplanned ride through a small, bumpy trail in Minnesota led them to unexpectedly rescue a woman who’d been reported missing for three days. https://t.co/UIbjzgA33t [4]
— WGRZ (@WGRZ) June 12, 2026 [5]
The two friends immediately sprang into action and called 911 while attempting to gather information from the woman, who was weak and struggling after days trapped in the elements.
According to the woman, she had stepped out of her minivan several days earlier and became stuck in what the men described as quicksand-like mud. Unable to free herself, she remained trapped as water levels gradually rose around her.
For three days, she endured exposure to the elements while waiting for help.
By the time rescuers arrived, Woessner was suffering from dehydration and significant sun exposure. The only relief from the heat reportedly came during overnight storms, though the rainfall also caused the surrounding water and mud to rise.
“I mean, this has got to be one of the strongest women there is … You think about her just watching the sunset, the sun up and burning every day in the sun, and she still had the will to live,” Gravalin said.
Sandbeck and Gravalin remained with the woman while emergency personnel and volunteer firefighters worked to provide aid.
During the rescue effort, the men overheard responders discussing the possibility that the woman was Kathryn Woessner, a missing 68-year-old local resident who had vanished three days earlier.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that the rescued woman was indeed Woessner.
Authorities had previously classified her as an endangered missing person due to unspecified medical conditions.
Following the rescue, Woessner was transported to a local hospital for treatment. According to Sandbeck, she was reunited with her family by Sunday.
Reflecting on the unexpected chain of events that led to the discovery, Sandbeck said the experience reinforced his belief that circumstances often unfold for a reason.
“Never be annoyed at your situation, because everything happens for a reason,” he said.
What began as a mistaken trip date and a search for new trails ultimately resulted in the rescue of a missing woman whose survival amazed both her rescuers and first responders.