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SOLVED: Missing in Makawao Forest | Amanda Eller, 35 | Found Alive After 17 Days — Transcript

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0:02Imagine stepping into a Hawaiian
0:03rainforest for a quick hike,
0:06leaving your phone, wallet, everything
0:08in the car.
0:09Just a short walk.
0:11Hours later, you're completely lost
0:14deep in thick jungle, no path out, no
0:17food, no shoes.
0:19No one hears your screams.
0:2117 days,
0:23broken leg,
0:24feet so infected doctors talk about
0:26amputation.
0:28Helicopters fly overhead dozens of
0:30times,
0:31but never spot you.
0:33She chose to live
0:35when everything screamed, "Give up."
0:37This is the true story of Amanda Eller,
0:40and the most unbelievable part is just
0:43beginning.
0:44Stick around.
0:45You won't believe how it ends.
0:48Amanda Eller's story is a powerful tale
0:50of survival, resilience, and the
0:53unbreakable human spirit.
0:55On May 8th, 2019,
0:58this 35-year-old physical therapist and
1:01yoga instructor from Haiku, Maui,
1:03set out for what she intended to be a
1:05short, mindful hike in the Makawao
1:08Forest Reserve,
1:10a place she knew well and often visited
1:13to connect with nature.
1:15What began as a routine day of
1:17self-reflection turned into an
1:19extraordinary 17-day ordeal that
1:22captured global attention and ended in a
1:25miraculous rescue.
1:27Amanda left her home around 7:30 a.m.
1:31after a brief meditation session with
1:33her boyfriend, Benjamin Konkol.
1:36She drove her white Toyota RAV4, license
1:39plate LZY110, to the Haiku Market, where
1:42surveillance footage captured her
1:44purchasing an energy bar and boxes of
1:46dry tea.
1:48She wore a light-colored tank top, dark
1:51yoga pants, and black flip-flops
1:54slippers.
1:55Around 10:19 a.m., she stopped at the
1:58Haiku Post Office to mail a Mother's Day
2:01package to her family on the mainland.
2:04By approximately 12:12 p.m., her vehicle
2:08was spotted in the gravel parking lot
2:10near the Hunter's Trail entrance to the
2:12Makawao Forest Reserve, observed by
2:15off-duty Maui Fire Department personnel
2:17who were hiking in the area.
2:20Amanda parked,
2:22left her cell phone, wallet, water
2:24bottle,
2:25and other belongings in the car,
2:28intentionally disconnecting from
2:30technology to immerse herself fully in
2:33the natural world.
2:35She stepped out for what she believed
2:38would be a brief 3-mile hike or jog
2:41along familiar trails.
2:44The Makawao Forest Reserve on the
2:46northern slopes of Haleakala is a lush,
2:49rugged expanse of dense rainforest,
2:52steep ravines, waterfalls, and thick
2:55undergrowth.
2:56Trails like Kahakapao and Hunter's Trail
2:59wind through it,
3:01but venturing off path can quickly lead
3:03to disorientation amid boar trails,
3:06flash floods, and impenetrable
3:08vegetation.
3:10Amanda followed her internal guidance,
3:13what she later described as a voice,
3:16spirit,
3:17or gut instinct that drew her deeper
3:20into the forest.
3:21She left the main trail
3:23intending to explore and return,
3:27but the paths she followed were not the
3:29maintained hiking routes.
3:31They were animal trails
3:33that twisted and narrowed, pulling her
3:35farther from her starting point.
3:38Hours passed,
3:40and the trail she thought would loop
3:41back did not.
3:43She realized she was lost.
3:46The next morning, May 9th,
3:49Benjamin grew concerned when Amanda
3:52didn't return home.
3:54He Thong
3:55reported her missing to the Maui Police
3:57Department around 7:21 a.m.
4:01Providing details of her favorite spots
4:03including the Makawao Forest Reserve.
4:07Police located her RAV4 in the parking
4:10lot that day.
4:11No signs of struggle.
4:13Her belongings intact inside.
4:16The search began immediately.
4:18The first night, May 8th, set the tone
4:21for what was to come.
4:23After realizing the animal trails she
4:25had followed had no intention of looping
4:27back to the main path,
4:29Amanda stopped moving as darkness fell.
4:32She gathered ferns and broad leaves to
4:35create a crude bed and shelter against
4:37the damp ground.
4:39The Makawao Forest Reserve, with its
4:41high humidity and frequent rain, offered
4:44no mercy.
4:46She practiced deep breathing from her
4:48yoga training,
4:50focusing on gratitude for the air in her
4:51lungs,
4:53the sound of the stream nearby.
4:56"I wasn't panicking yet."
4:58she would explain in hospital
4:59interviews.
5:01"I thought, okay,
5:03I'll find my way out in the morning."
5:06Morning came,
5:07but clarity did not.
5:09Amanda drank from the flowing stream.
5:12She knew stagnant water could harbor
5:14bacteria and searched for food.
5:18The forest provided sparingly.
5:20Wild strawberry guava,
5:23thimbleberries,
5:24other small fruits she recognized from
5:26her time living on Maui.
5:29She ate insects when hunger sharpened.
5:32Moths that fluttered too close, perhaps
5:34a few grubs.
5:37"It wasn't glamorous." she admitted
5:39later,
5:40"but it kept me going."
5:43Hydration was her priority.
5:45She stayed near water sources, aware
5:48that dehydration would end her quickly
5:50in the tropical heat.
5:52By day three or four,
5:54the accident happened.
5:56While attempting to navigate a steep
5:58ravine, Amanda slipped or fell about 20
6:01ft down a ledge.
6:03The impact fractured her left tibia,
6:06a clean break, she later learned, but
6:08excruciating.
6:10Pain shot through her leg like fire.
6:13She couldn't stand fully.
6:15Crawling became her only option.
6:18Soon after, a flash flood roared through
6:21the area, sweeping away whatever
6:23footwear she had left.
6:25Barefoot now, her feet tore on rocks,
6:28thorns, and roots.
6:31Sunburn blistered her exposed skin,
6:34and infection set in rapidly.
6:36Cellulitis that turned her feet swollen,
6:39red, and burning.
6:41Yet, Amanda assessed her own body with
6:44the knowledge of a physical therapist.
6:46She used her hands to stabilize the
6:49broken leg as best she could,
6:51elevating it when possible, and kept
6:53moving despite the agony.
6:56"I had to choose life,"
6:58she said in her first press conference
7:00on May 28th, 2019, at Maui Memorial
7:04Medical Center.
7:06"There were times of total fear and loss
7:09and wanting to give up.
7:11It did come down to life and death,
7:13and I chose life.
7:15I wasn't going to take the easy way
7:16out."
7:18She drew heavily on her spiritual
7:19practices.
7:21Meditation kept her mind steady when
7:24despair crept in.
7:26Yoga poses,
7:27adapted for immobility,
7:29helped circulation and pain management.
7:33She described hearing an inner voice,
7:36not auditory hallucinations,
7:38but a deep gut instinct or spiritual
7:41guidance
7:42that directed her movements.
7:44"It was like nature was speaking to me,"
7:47she explained,
7:49"telling me where to go,
7:51when to rest."
7:53She followed streams downhill,
7:55believing they would lead to
7:56civilization eventually,
7:59even as the terrain grew more
8:00treacherous. Helicopters buzzed overhead
8:03repeatedly.
8:05Maui Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol,
8:08private pilots.
8:10Amanda waved branches, shouted until her
8:13voice cracked,
8:15but the dense canopy acted as a green
8:17ceiling.
8:18"I could hear them, but they couldn't
8:20see me,"
8:21she recounted.
8:23"As the helicopters are passing over and
8:25not seeing me,
8:27I'm invisible.
8:29You lose hope,
8:30and your hope meter starts to decline a
8:32little bit."
8:34In those moments, she returned to
8:36gratitude
8:38for the water, for the fruit,
8:40for the fact that she was still
8:42breathing.
8:44Days blurred.
8:45She lost track of time, but estimated
8:48she had been moving downstream for over
8:50a week when she reached the area near
8:53the Kailua Reservoir,
8:55wedged between two waterfalls in a deep
8:57ravine.
8:59Food grew scarcer. She survived on
9:01minimal calories, dropping 15 to 20 lb.
9:06Malnutrition weakened her,
9:08but the river water and occasional fruit
9:10prevented total collapse.
9:13She slept under ferns,
9:15enduring rain that soaked her through,
9:18insects that bit relentlessly, and the
9:21distant grunts of wild boars.
9:24Through it all,
9:25Amanda's background as a physical
9:27therapist and yoga instructor proved
9:30life-saving.
9:32She understood anatomy enough to avoid
9:35worsening the fracture,
9:36managed swelling as best she could,
9:39and used mental discipline to push past
9:42pain.
9:44Her expertise in the human body helped
9:46her treat herself in the field,
9:48rescuer Troy Helmer later told today.
9:52That's a big part of why she survived.
9:55While Amanda fought for survival deep in
9:57the ravine, the world above her refused
10:00to let her story fade into silence.
10:04From the moment Benjamin Konkol reported
10:06her missing on the morning of May 9th,
10:082019,
10:10a massive grassroots response unfolded,
10:13one that exemplified the spirit of
10:16Ohana,
10:17or family, that defines Hawaii.
10:21What began as a routine missing person
10:23report quickly grew into one of the
10:26largest volunteer search efforts Maui
10:29had seen in years.
10:31The Maui Police Department and Maui Fire
10:34Department launched the initial search
10:36immediately after locating Amanda's
10:39white Toyota RAV4 in the gravel parking
10:42lot near the Hunter's Trail entrance to
10:44the Makawao Forest Reserve.
10:48Officers confirmed her belongings were
10:50inside.
10:51No signs of foul play, no struggle,
10:55just the quiet evidence of someone who
10:57had stepped out intending to return.
11:00Ground teams,
11:01including search dogs, drones, and
11:04hikers familiar with the area, swept the
11:07main trails and nearby ravines.
11:10But the dense rainforest, with its steep
11:12drops, thick undergrowth, and frequent
11:15flash floods, made progress slow.
11:18After 72 hours,
11:20official organized efforts by police and
11:23fire were scaled back due to resource
11:25constraints and the low probability of
11:28survival without supplies.
11:31This is where the community stepped in.
11:33Friends, family, and strangers refused
11:37to accept that the search was over.
11:39A Facebook page titled Find Amanda,
11:43later renamed Found Amanda, was created
11:46almost immediately by close friends like
11:49Sarah Haynes.
11:51It exploded in popularity,
11:53amassing thousands of followers who
11:55shared flyers, coordinated volunteer
11:59shifts, and posted updates.
12:02The page became a central hub for
12:04information, encouragement, and
12:06mobilization.
12:08To fund the extended search,
12:10covering helicopter time, equipment,
12:13food for volunteers, and more,
12:15a GoFundMe campaign was launched.
12:18It raised nearly $80,000 from donors
12:21around the world.
12:23Much of the money went toward
12:24contracting private helicopters for
12:27aerial searches, paying for fuel, and
12:30supporting ground operations.
12:33Leftover funds were later used for
12:35safety improvements, such as installing
12:38cameras at trailheads in the Makawao
12:40Forest Reserve and other popular hiking
12:43areas on Maui,
12:44ensuring better prevention and response
12:47for future incidents.
12:49Amanda's family arrived from the
12:51mainland shortly after the
12:53disappearance.
12:54Her father, John Eller, an expert in GPS
12:58technology and mapping,
13:00brought his professional skills to bear.
13:04He used specialized software to create
13:07live maps of the search area,
13:09tracking where volunteers had already
13:11covered ground, and identifying gaps.
13:15Teams equipped with GPS devices logged
13:18their paths,
13:20filling in a digital grid of the forest.
13:23This methodical approach,
13:25John later said, helped clear large
13:28sections efficiently
13:30and allowed searchers to push farther
13:31out, ultimately to the area near the
13:34Ka'ilua reservoir where Amanda was
13:37found, about 4 miles from her parked
13:39car."
13:40Hundreds of volunteers poured in daily,
13:43hikers, rappellers, equestrian groups,
13:46canine teams,
13:48and even the mother of another missing
13:50person on Maui joined the effort.
13:53Trained survival experts and locals
13:55familiar with the terrain led grids.
13:59Among the key figures were
14:01Chris Berquist, a 33-year-old arborist
14:05and volunteer coordinator who managed
14:07GPS data and ground teams.
14:10He spent long days in the forest
14:13analyzing incoming tracks and briefing
14:15searchers.
14:17Javier Cantellops, a 37-year-old former
14:20special operations Army Ranger, scuba
14:23instructor, and friend of Amanda's.
14:26He had taught her diving.
14:28His military background and knowledge of
14:30the island made him invaluable in rugged
14:33terrain.
14:35Troy Helmer, another experienced
14:37volunteer who knew the Makawao area
14:39well,
14:40and brought practical insight to the
14:42searches.
14:43The Facebook page and social media kept
14:46the momentum alive nationally and
14:48internationally.
14:50News outlets like CNN, ABC, NBC, and
14:54local Hawaii stations covered the story
14:56daily.
14:58A $50,000 reward was announced to
15:00encourage tips.
15:02Celebrities and everyday people shared
15:04posts amplifying the call for help.
15:07Not everything was smooth.
15:10As days stretched into weeks without a
15:12sign,
15:13speculation and rumors surfaced online.
15:17Some questioned whether Amanda had
15:19gotten lost intentionally,
15:21was involved with drugs,
15:23or had staged the disappearance for
15:24attention
15:26or GoFundMe funds.
15:28Reddit threads and comment sections
15:30debated her story
15:32with skeptics pointing to her calm
15:34demeanor in hospital interviews
15:37or the fact that she left her phone
15:38behind.
15:40Amanda addressed these directly in later
15:43reflections.
15:45Anything you could think of that could
15:48possibly explain how I could come out of
15:50a 17-day experience like that and be in
15:54a positive state of mind.
15:56I think that people just created stories
15:59so that their mind could grasp the
16:00situation.
16:03She emphasized telling the whole truth
16:06and nothing but the truth
16:08and the toll the rumors took on her
16:11emotional recovery.
16:13Rescuers like Cantaloupe fielded even
16:16wilder questions
16:18such as whether she had been hiding out
16:20at his house the whole time.
16:23The controversy faded as facts emerged
16:27but it highlighted how public attention
16:29can cut both ways
16:31bringing help
16:33while inviting doubt. Through it all,
16:35the aloha spirit prevailed.
16:37Volunteers braved rain, heat, and
16:40dangerous drops.
16:42Family members like Amanda's mother,
16:44Julia Eller, spoke of the despair
16:46setting in around day 14 yet they never
16:49quit.
16:51Nobody ever quit rescuers later said.
16:55John Eller's GPS expertise not only
16:57aided the search but inspired lasting
16:59change.
17:01He helped found STAT
17:03Search Tech Advisory Team
17:05a non-profit advising on search and
17:08rescue efforts using technology for
17:10missing persons in rural areas.
17:13Chris Bergquist continued working with
17:15STAT
17:16calling the rescue the coolest thing
17:19I've ever done in my life.
17:22As the helicopter circled that final
17:24afternoon,
17:25the combined efforts of technology,
17:28volunteers, donations, and sheer
17:31determination converged.
17:33Spotters saw movement in the creek bed
17:35below.
17:37Amanda waved weakly from the ravine she
17:40had called home for her last days.
17:43The moment of discovery was electric.
17:46The crew's excitement shook the
17:47aircraft, and pilot Voorhees had to
17:50steady them.
17:52They lowered the rescue basket, and
17:54Amanda, battered but alive, was lifted
17:58to safety.
17:59In that instant, the outside world's
18:02persistence met Amanda's inner resolve.
18:06The search had not been in vain.
18:08The afternoon of May 24th, 2019,
18:12was drawing to a close when the
18:14helicopter's rotors thundered low over
18:16the deep ravine near the Kailua
18:19Reservoir.
18:21Pilot Pete Voorhees
18:23had already burned through most of the
18:25fuel on repeated sweeps of the Makawao
18:27Forest Reserve.
18:29The light was fading fast, shadows
18:32lengthening across the waterfalls and
18:34thick green canopy.
18:36Inside the aircraft were three
18:39determined volunteers,
18:41Chris Bergquist,
18:43Javier Cantellops, and Troy Helmer.
18:46Men who had spent weeks in the forest,
18:49refusing to believe Amanda was gone.
18:52They were on what they had quietly
18:54agreed would be their final pass for the
18:56day.
18:58Fuel was critical.
19:00Sunset was minutes away.
19:03As the helicopter banked around a bend
19:05between two cascading waterfalls,
19:08Bergquist spotted something unusual in
19:11the creek bed below.
19:12A small figure, barely visible against
19:15the rocks and water, waving one arm
19:18weakly.
19:19"There she is!" he shouted over the
19:22noise.
19:23The crew erupted in cheers.
19:26The helicopter shook with their
19:27excitement.
19:29Voorhees had to bark at them to calm
19:31down so he could maintain control.
19:35From Amanda's perspective,
19:37the sound of rotors had become a cruel
19:39tease over the preceding days.
19:42Helicopters had flown overhead so many
19:44times she had lost count.
19:47Each one passing without stopping,
19:50leaving her feeling more invisible than
19:52ever.
19:53But this time was different.
19:55The aircraft descended lower than
19:57before,
19:58hovering directly above her spot in the
20:00ravine.
20:02She raised her arm as high as her
20:04exhausted body allowed,
20:06waving with everything she had left.
20:09Her heart pounded,
20:10not just from fear or pain,
20:13but from a sudden, overwhelming surge of
20:16hope.
20:17The rescue team lowered the basket.
20:20Amanda, barely able to stand on her
20:23fractured leg and severely injured feet,
20:26crawled the last few feet to reach it.
20:29Rescuers helped guide her in. She was
20:32light,
20:33frail,
20:34covered in dirt, scratches,
20:36and burns.
20:38Once secured, the basket rose smoothly.
20:42Canteloupe, who had known Amanda before
20:45the ordeal through diving lessons,
20:47reached out and pulled her into the
20:48helicopter.
20:50The moment their hands met, he later
20:52described it as "the greatest moment of
20:55my life."
20:57They hugged her tightly as the aircraft
20:59climbed away from the ravine.
21:02Amanda was alert and oriented during the
21:04short flight to Maui Memorial Medical
21:07Center.
21:08She knew exactly where she was,
21:11remembered her father's phone number,
21:14and could recount how many days she
21:16believed she had been missing.
21:1817.
21:21When the helicopter touched down at the
21:22hospital helipad, medical teams were
21:25waiting.
21:27She was transferred to a stretcher and
21:29rushed inside for immediate evaluation.
21:32The initial assessment revealed the full
21:35extent of what she had endured.
21:38Her left tibia was fractured,
21:40a clean break from the fall off the
21:42ledge,
21:43but the real concern was her feet.
21:47Severe cellulitis had set in from
21:50repeated exposure to water, thorns,
21:52rocks, and infection.
21:55Both feet were swollen,
21:57blistered, burned from sunburn, and
22:00constant abrasion, and riddled with deep
22:02cuts.
22:04Doctors openly discussed the possibility
22:06of amputation if the infection could not
22:09be controlled quickly.
22:11She had lost between 15 and 20 lb,
22:15was severely dehydrated despite drinking
22:18from streams,
22:19and showed signs of malnutrition.
22:22Sunburn covered much of her exposed
22:24skin,
22:25and she was covered in insect bites and
22:28minor abrasions from head to toe.
22:31Intravenous fluids,
22:33broad-spectrum antibiotics,
22:35pain management, and wound care began
22:38immediately.
22:40Surgeons cleaned and debrided the worst
22:42areas on her feet, working to save as
22:45much tissue as possible.
22:47Over the coming days, the aggressive
22:49treatment worked.
22:51The infection receded, circulation
22:54improved, and amputation was avoided.
22:58Physical therapists started gentle
23:00mobilization almost right away.
23:03Knowing that early movement would be
23:05critical for her fractured leg
23:07and overall recovery.
23:10On May 28th, 2019,
23:13just 4 days after rescue, Amanda
23:16appeared at a press conference from her
23:18hospital bed,
23:19propped up and surrounded by family and
23:21medical staff.
23:23Her voice was soft but steady,
23:26her eyes bright despite the fatigue
23:28etched on her face.
23:30She spoke directly to the cameras and
23:32the community that had never stopped
23:34searching.
23:36"Thank you to everyone who has been
23:38involved in the search and rescue
23:39efforts," she began.
23:42"The sense of pulling together,
23:45that sense of community,
23:47that sense of ohana and family,
23:50true aloha.
23:52I'm so grateful."
23:54She addressed the physical and emotional
23:56toll without sugarcoating it.
23:59"There were times of total fear and loss
24:02and wanting to give up," she said.
24:04"It did come down to life and death,
24:07and I chose life.
24:09I wasn't going to take the easy way
24:10out."
24:12She described the experience as a
24:14spiritual bootcamp,
24:16not to romanticize the suffering,
24:19but to acknowledge how her practices of
24:21yoga, meditation, and deep inner
24:24listening had helped her endure.
24:27"It was truly a miracle," she added of
24:30being found,
24:31"a needle in a haystack."
24:34Amanda also clarified some of the rumors
24:36that had circulated online.
24:39She explained that leaving her phone
24:41behind was intentional
24:43to fully disconnect and be present in
24:46nature,
24:47something she had done many times before
24:49on shorter hikes.
24:52She denied any suggestion of foul play
24:55or intentional disappearance.
24:58"I got lost," she said simply.
25:01"I followed my gut
25:03and it led me deeper into the forest
25:05than I expected."
25:07Her father, John Eller, stood beside
25:09her, visibly emotional.
25:12He thanked the volunteers,
25:14first responders,
25:16and the Maui community for their
25:18relentless effort.
25:20"We never gave up hope," he said.
25:23"And because of all of you, we didn't
25:25have to." In the days that followed,
25:28Amanda remained in the hospital for
25:30wound care, IV antibiotics, and physical
25:34therapy.
25:36She began the long process of learning
25:38to walk again on her injured leg.
25:42Friends and family visited constantly.
25:45The Find Amanda Facebook page
25:47transitioned to celebration mode,
25:50filled with photos of yellow ribbons
25:52tied around trees, thank you notes, and
25:55messages of love.
25:57The rescue itself became a symbol of
26:00what coordinated effort and compassion
26:03can achieve.
26:05Pilot Pete Voorhes
26:07later said the moment they spotted her
26:10was one he would never forget.
26:12Chris Berquist called it "the coolest
26:14thing I've ever done in my life."
26:17Javier Cantellops spoke of the hug in
26:20the helicopter as a moment of pure
26:23relief and joy.
26:24Troy Helmer emphasized how Amanda's own
26:27knowledge and will to survive had
26:29bridged the gap until help arrived.
26:33Amanda's first words upon being found,
26:36according to rescuers, were simple and
26:39profound.
26:40Gratitude
26:42for the water that kept her alive, for
26:45the fruit she found, for the inner voice
26:48that guided her,
26:50and most of all, for the people who
26:52never stopped looking.
26:54Intravenous fluids,
26:56broad-spectrum antibiotics,
26:58pain management, and wound care began
27:02immediately.
27:03Surgeons cleaned and debrided the worst
27:06areas on her feet,
27:08working to save as much tissue as
27:10possible.
27:12Over the coming days,
27:14the aggressive treatment worked.
27:16The infection receded, circulation
27:19improved, and amputation was avoided.
27:23Physical therapists started gentle
27:26mobilization almost right away,
27:28knowing that early movement would be
27:30critical for her fractured leg and
27:33overall recovery.
27:35On May 28th,
27:372019,
27:38just 4 days after rescue, Amanda
27:41appeared at a press conference from her
27:43hospital bed,
27:45propped up and surrounded by family and
27:47medical staff.
27:49Her voice was soft, but steady. Her eyes
27:52bright, despite the fatigue etched on
27:54her face.
27:56She spoke directly to the cameras and
27:58the community that had never stopped
28:00searching.
28:02"Thank you to everyone who has been
28:04involved in the search and rescue
28:06efforts," she began.
28:08"The sense of pulling together, that
28:11sense of community, that sense of ohana
28:14and family,
28:15true aloha.
28:17I'm so grateful."
28:19She addressed the physical and emotional
28:21toll without sugarcoating it.
28:24"There were times of total fear and loss
28:27and wanting to give up," she said.
28:31"It did come down to life and death, and
28:33I chose life.
28:35I wasn't going to take the easy way
28:37out."
28:38She described the experience as a
28:40spiritual boot camp,
28:43not to romanticize the suffering,
28:46but to acknowledge how her practices of
28:48yoga, meditation, and deep inner
28:51listening had helped her endure.
28:54It was truly a miracle, she added of
28:57being found.
28:58A needle in a haystack.
29:01Amanda also clarified some of the rumors
29:04that had circulated online.
29:07She explained that leaving her phone
29:08behind was intentional
29:11to fully disconnect and be present in
29:13nature, something she had done many
29:15times before on shorter hikes.
29:19She denied any suggestion of foul play
29:22or intentional disappearance.
29:25I got lost, she said simply.
29:29I followed my gut
29:30and it led me deeper into the forest
29:32than I expected.
29:34Her father, John Eller, stood beside
29:37her, visibly emotional.
29:39He thanked the volunteers, first
29:41responders, and the Maui community for
29:44their relentless effort.
29:47We never gave up hope,
29:48he said.
29:50And because of all of you,
29:52we didn't have to.
29:54In the days that followed,
29:56Amanda remained in the hospital for
29:58wound care,
29:59IV antibiotics, and physical therapy.
30:03She began the long process of learning
30:05to walk again on her injured leg.
30:08Friends and family visited constantly.
30:12The Find Amanda Facebook page
30:14transitioned to celebration mode,
30:17filled with photos of yellow ribbons
30:19tied around trees,
30:21thank you notes,
30:22and messages of love.
30:25The rescue itself became a symbol of
30:27what coordinated effort and compassion
30:30can achieve.
30:31Pilot Pete Voorhees
30:34later said the moment they spotted her
30:36was one he would never forget.
30:39Chris Berquist called it the coolest
30:41thing
30:42ever done in my life."
30:45Javier Cantellops spoke of the hug in
30:47the helicopter as a moment of pure
30:50relief and joy.
30:52Troy Helmer emphasized how Amanda's own
30:54knowledge and will to survive had
30:57bridged the gap until help arrived.
31:00Amanda's first words upon being found,
31:03according to rescuers,
31:05were simple and profound.
31:07Gratitude
31:09for the water that kept her alive,
31:11for the fruit she found,
31:13for the inner voice that guided her,
31:16and most of all, for the people who
31:18never stopped looking.
31:20Amanda also maintained strong ties with
31:22her rescuers.
31:24She stayed in touch with Chris Berquist,
31:27Javier Cantellops, Troy Helmer, and
31:30pilot Pete Vorhees,
31:32men who had risked their safety to find
31:34her.
31:35They met for coffee,
31:37shared stories,
31:39and occasionally hiked together on
31:40easier trails.
31:43"They saved my life," she said simply,
31:46"and I want them to know how much that
31:48means."
31:49The bond became a source of mutual
31:51healing.
31:53Rescuers often spoke of how finding
31:55Amanda had reaffirmed their commitment
31:57to volunteer work. Her father, John
32:00Eller, channeled his experience into
32:02lasting change.
32:04Using skills from the search, he helped
32:07establish STAT,
32:09Search Tech Advisory Team,
32:11a nonprofit dedicated to improving
32:14search and rescue operations through
32:16technology,
32:17GPS mapping,
32:19data sharing,
32:20and coordination tools for missing
32:22persons in rural areas.
32:25Amanda supported the effort, speaking at
32:27fundraisers and sharing her story to
32:30raise awareness about the importance of
32:32preparedness in nature.
32:34By 2024,
32:365 years after the ordeal, Amanda had
32:39returned to Maui full-time.
32:41She continued her work as a physical
32:43therapist and holistic practitioner,
32:46helping clients navigate their own
32:47recoveries.
32:49Her feet had healed,
32:51though she still carried scars and
32:53occasional pain as reminders.
32:56She hiked again,
32:57but more mindfully,
32:59always carrying a small pack with
33:01essentials and telling someone her
33:03route.
33:05The Makawao Forest Reserve remained a
33:07place of beauty for her, not fear.
33:10She occasionally returned to the area
33:12near the Kailua Reservoir,
33:15not to relive the trauma,
33:17but to honor the place where she chose
33:19life.
33:21In interviews marking the 5-year
33:24anniversary,
33:25Amanda reflected with quiet strength.
33:29"It was the hardest thing I've ever gone
33:31through," she told ABC News,
33:33"but it taught me how resilient we are,
33:36how much we can endure when we choose to
33:39keep going.
33:40And it showed me the incredible power of
33:42community,
33:44the aloha that never gave up on me."
33:48She spoke of gratitude as a daily
33:49practice,
33:51gratitude for the water that sustained
33:53her,
33:54for the fruit that nourished her,
33:56for the inner voice that guided her,
33:59and for every person who searched,
34:01donated, or simply sent a prayer.
34:05She emphasized that survival is not just
34:08about the body.
34:10It's about the mind and spirit refusing
34:12to surrender.
34:14Amanda's story had become more than a
34:17survival tale.
34:19It was a testament to human connection,
34:22inner strength, and the possibility of
34:24transformation through adversity.
34:28She continued her work quietly,
34:30helping others find their own way back
34:33to wholeness just as she had found hers.
34:36Amanda Eller's 17 days in the Makawao
34:39Forest Reserve did not end when the
34:42helicopter lifted her away.
34:44In many ways, that moment marked the
34:47beginning of a deeper journey.
34:49One of reflection,
34:51integration, and sharing what she had
34:54learned with the world.
34:56Her story,
34:57grounded in the raw facts of survival
35:00and rescue, has become a quiet but
35:02powerful reminder of what it means to
35:05choose life when everything seems lost.
35:09At its core, Amanda's experience teaches
35:12that survival is multifaceted.
35:15It is physical,
35:17the knowledge of hydration sources,
35:19the recognition of edible plants,
35:22the discipline to keep moving even when
35:25every step brought agony.
35:28As a physical therapist,
35:30she had an advantage in understanding
35:32her body's limits and how to protect the
35:35broken tibia while minimizing further
35:37damage.
35:39But survival was also mental and
35:42spiritual.
35:43She repeatedly credited her yoga and
35:46meditation practices for keeping despair
35:49at bay.
35:50When hope faded with each passing
35:52helicopter, she returned to breath,
35:56to gratitude for the smallest things.
36:00A sip of stream water,
36:02a handful of guava,
36:04the fact that she was still drawing air
36:07into her lungs.
36:09"I chose life,"
36:11she said plainly in that first hospital
36:13press conference.
36:15And she chose it again and again in the
36:17quiet moments when surrender would have
36:20been easier.
36:21The story also highlights the profound
36:24role of community.
36:26What Hawaiians call aloha and ohana.
36:30Thousands of strangers, friends, and
36:33family refused to let her vanish into
36:35the statistics of missing persons.
36:38Volunteers logged hundreds of hours in
36:40dangerous terrain.
36:42Donations funded helicopters and
36:44equipment.
36:46John Ellers' GPS expertise turned chaos
36:49into coordinated grids.
36:51Rescuers like Chris Berquist,
36:54Javier Cantellops,
36:55Troy Helmer, and Pete Voorhees risked
36:58their own safety on that final low-fuel
37:00flight.
37:02The Find Amanda Facebook page and
37:04GoFundMe became lifelines,
37:07not just for resources,
37:09but for emotional momentum.
37:11Amanda has said many times that the love
37:14and persistence from the outside world
37:16matched her own inner resolve.
37:19That sense of pulling together,
37:21true aloha,
37:23she told reporters.
37:25It was not one person's miracle. It was
37:28collective.
37:29Her legacy extends beyond personal
37:31healing.
37:33The ordeal prompted practical changes on
37:35Maui.
37:36Additional trailhead cameras, improved
37:38search protocols, and greater awareness
37:41of the risks in places like the Makawao
37:43Forest Reserve.
37:46John Ellers' work with STAT,
37:48Search Tech Advisory Team, continues to
37:51help other families by advancing
37:53technology in missing person searches.
37:57Amanda herself has used her story to
38:00support trauma recovery.
38:03Through her holistic physical therapy
38:05practice,
38:06mind-body certifications, and yoga
38:09teaching, she guides clients facing
38:11their own hardships,
38:13accidents,
38:14loss, chronic pain, emotional wounds.
38:18She emphasizes that healing is not about
38:20erasing what happened, but integrating
38:22it, finding meaning, and emerging
38:25stronger.
38:26In the five-year reflection shared with
38:29ABC News in May 2024,
38:32Amanda spoke with a calm maturity about
38:36how the experience reshaped everything.
38:39She had left Maui for a time, spent
38:42months in India for advanced trauma
38:45training, returned to the mainland, and
38:48eventually settled in Minneapolis,
38:50where life felt brighter and steadily
38:53improving.
38:54She revisited the forest in late 2020 as
38:58exposure therapy,
39:00walking familiar paths with a new
39:02respect for their power.
39:05"Nothing has been the same since," she
39:07said. "It changes your whole life."
39:10Yet, she described the change as
39:12ultimately positive,
39:14a deeper appreciation for connection,
39:16presence, and resilience.
39:19Amanda has never claimed to be a hero.
39:22She insists the story is simple.
39:25She got lost, she suffered, she
39:28survived, and she was found because
39:30people cared enough to keep looking.
39:33She expresses ongoing gratitude to the
39:36rescuers.
39:37"They saved my life."
39:39To the volunteers, "They never quit."
39:42To her family,
39:44"They held hope when I couldn't."
39:46And to the broader community,
39:48"Your aloha carried me."
39:51She has addressed the skepticism and
39:54rumors that swirled online with honesty,
39:58clarifying that her decision to leave
40:00her phone behind was about intentional
40:03disconnection, not deception.
40:06"I tell the whole truth and nothing but
40:09the truth,"
40:10she has said,
40:11acknowledging that the experience took
40:14an emotional toll, but refusing to let
40:16doubt overshadow the facts.
40:19As her story reaches people through
40:21videos, articles, and word of mouth,
40:25it serves as a beacon for anyone facing
40:27their own dark ravine,
40:29whether literal or metaphorical.
40:33It reminds us that hope can endure even
40:35when visibility is zero.
40:38That inner strength can be cultivated
40:40through practice,
40:42and that no one is truly invisible when
40:44a community decides to look.
40:47Amanda Eller chose life in the forest,
40:51and in the years since,
40:53she has chosen to live it fully,
40:55helping others,
40:57honoring her scars,
40:58and carrying forward the lessons of
41:00gratitude, resilience, and connection.
41:04In the end, this is not just a tale of
41:06being lost and found.
41:09It is a testament to the human capacity
41:11to endure,
41:13to the power of collective compassion,
41:17and to the quiet miracles that happen
41:18when one person refuses to give up,
41:22and when many others refuse to stop
41:24searching.
41:26Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your
41:27truth.
41:29And thank you to everyone who made her
41:31return possible.
41:33And that,
41:34dear friends,
41:35is the incredible true story of Amanda
41:38Eller.
41:3917 days lost in the heart of Maui's wild
41:42forest,
41:4417 days of choosing life over surrender,
41:47and a beautiful reminder
41:49that miracles can still happen when hope
41:52refuses to die,
41:54and when people come together with true
41:56aloha.
41:58If her story moved you,
42:00if it reminded you of the strength we
42:03all carry inside,
42:05or if it simply left you feeling a
42:06little more grateful for the people and
42:09the moments in your own life,
42:11Thank you.
42:13Thank you
42:14from the bottom of my heart
42:16for spending this time with me,
42:19for listening all the way through,
42:21and for letting these real stories of
42:24survival and reunion touch you.
42:27Your attention,
42:29your comments,
42:31and your support mean everything to me
42:34and help keep this channel alive.
42:37If you'd like to hear more happy ending
42:39stories like this,
42:41more tales of people who were missing
42:43for weeks, months, years, even decades,
42:48only to be found alive and reunited with
42:50the ones they love,
42:52please consider subscribing right now
42:55and turning on the notification bell so
42:57you never miss an upload.
43:00Every new subscriber helps me continue
43:03sharing these powerful, uplifting,
43:05real-life miracles.
43:07Drop a comment below.
43:10What part of Amanda's story touched you
43:12the most?
43:13Have you ever had a moment where you had
43:15to choose hope over giving up?
43:18I read every single one and love hearing
43:21from you.
43:22Until the next story of light after
43:25darkness,
43:26thank you again for being here.
43:29Take care of yourselves,
43:31hold your loved ones close,
43:33and remember
43:35you are never truly alone.
43:37See you in the next video.
43:40Aloha.

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