AK AK - Mary Dawn Wilson, 69 - 2-YO Grandchild Found Locked in Abandoned Car, Healy, 12 July 2022

[Stunned]

I'm in Healy now and drove the Stampede Road to Mile 6.8 and a little beyond. The road in the area is dirt but in very good condition. I took photos of the area and will post when I get some free time. Would be difficult to find someone given the terrain off the road. Hard to comprehend why she would have gone in the wrong direction and hard to understand why no one saw that vehicle until 2 days later. Lots of traffic now given its hunting season but there surely should have been some activity there.

Thank you, looking forward too the pictures.

 

[ttcRider]

Not sure if this was discussed already or not but was her car in the ditch on the side of the road or just on the sholder? I can't get past being stuck.

 

[ComfortablyNumbb]

Not sure if this was discussed already or not but was her car in the ditch on the side of the road or just on the sholder? I can't get past being stuck.

I don't recall if it was mentioned where her car actually was. If it was on the road I don't see how she could have gotten stuck so severely. If she somehow went off the road then that's another story.

 

[ComfortablyNumbb]

Here are some photos in the area of mile 6.8 of Stampede Road. One is a of Mile 8 Lake from the road. As you can see the road is in very good condition. Venturing off the road is a different story and is very difficult trekking. Mary reportedly walked a mile from this point in the opposite direction of the Parks Hwy. My truck is facing the Parks Hwy in the photo. I can't understand why she would do that unless she was having a medical situation and was very confused. I didn't drive any further as just up the road was a round parking area filled with moose hunter vehicles. So as I don't know the condition of the road a mile further up where Mary walked it doesn't matter as that is not where her car was 'stuck'. Someone asked if Mary could/would have make it to the river. That's very unlikely in my opinion and why would she even want to go there?

 

[deadfoot13]

Here are some photos in the area of mile 6.8 of Stampede Road. One is a of Mile 8 Lake from the road. As you can see the road is in very good condition. Venturing off the road is a different story and is very difficult trekking. Mary reportedly walked a mile from this point in the opposite direction of the Parks Hwy. My truck is facing the Parks Hwy in the photo. I can't understand why she would do that unless she was having a medical situation and was very confused. I didn't drive any further as just up the road was a round parking area filled with moose hunter vehicles. So as I don't know the condition of the road a mile further up where Mary walked it doesn't matter as that is not where her car was 'stuck'. Someone asked if Mary could/would have make it to the river. That's very unlikely in my opinion and why would she even want to go there?

Wow, beautiful area, thank you for sharing. After seeing how thick the vegetation is on either side of the road, I don't know how anyone could be found in that stuff unless it was completely by accident. It really highlights the question of what reason she had for leaving the surface of the road.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Here are some photos in the area of mile 6.8 of Stampede Road. One is a of Mile 8 Lake from the road. As you can see the road is in very good condition. Venturing off the road is a different story and is very difficult trekking. Mary reportedly walked a mile from this point in the opposite direction of the Parks Hwy. My truck is facing the Parks Hwy in the photo. I can't understand why she would do that unless she was having a medical situation and was very confused. I didn't drive any further as just up the road was a round parking area filled with moose hunter vehicles. So as I don't know the condition of the road a mile further up where Mary walked it doesn't matter as that is not where her car was 'stuck'. Someone asked if Mary could/would have make it to the river. That's very unlikely in my opinion and why would she even want to go there?

Thanks for helping us learn more!

Did you see any smaller vehicles like Mary's Ford Focus traveling the dirt portion of Stampede Rd/Trail?

Her car was lower clearance than a truck and got stuck in mud. They saw evidence of her trying to get traction under the wheels to free her car. (See linked article.)

If she had walked back toward the Parks Hwy (which I assume is the main road that way from Healey), how many miles on foot would she have had to travel to find a house or business to possibly get some assistance?

The shedding of her clothing & walking further into wilderness indicates hypothermia or another health problem to me. Of course, we still don't have an answer to the main mystery: why was she on Stampede Rd at all? It becomes a dead end trail.

I hope you said a prayer for Mary out there. Her body is in that wilderness somewhere & winter is coming on fast.

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

 

[moonriverfarm]

Here are some photos in the area of mile 6.8 of Stampede Road. One is a of Mile 8 Lake from the road. As you can see the road is in very good condition. Venturing off the road is a different story and is very difficult trekking. Mary reportedly walked a mile from this point in the opposite direction of the Parks Hwy. My truck is facing the Parks Hwy in the photo. I can't understand why she would do that unless she was having a medical situation and was very confused. I didn't drive any further as just up the road was a round parking area filled with moose hunter vehicles. So as I don't know the condition of the road a mile further up where Mary walked it doesn't matter as that is not where her car was 'stuck'. Someone asked if Mary could/would have make it to the river. That's very unlikely in my opinion and why would she even want to go there?

From this point, where was her car found?

 

[NervousNellie]

@ComfortablyNumbb - thanks so much for sharing your photos. What a beautiful, vast, dense scenery.

RIP MDW

 

[WingsOverTX]

From this point, where was her car found?

I believe her car was found very near where the red truck is pictured at mile 6.8. Right @ComfortablyNumbb?

 

[moonriverfarm]

Just trying to figure out how one would get stuck. the dirt road looks pretty packed down.

 

[deadfoot13]

Just trying to figure out how one would get stuck. the dirt road looks pretty packed down.

I wonder if she didn't get a wheel or two off the edge, it looks like the "shoulder" may be soft.

 

[WingsOverTX]

I wonder if she didn't get a wheel or two off the edge, it looks like the "shoulder" may be soft.

Looking at weather conditions around July 13 on timeanddate.com, there was light rain & fog near Healey.

If only Mary had walked toward help instead of further away, maybe? I'm not sure it would have made a difference.

And all who care for her no doubt have a hard time with the puzzle of why & how. Fortunately, the young child was rescued in good health.

 

[ttcRider]

has anyone come across any of her family or friends talking about searching for her? I can't find anyone pleading for her to be found.

 

[Stunned]

Thank you for the pictures.
So not heavily forested, just dense brush?

 

[Stunned]

has anyone come across any of her family or friends talking about searching for her? I can't find anyone pleading for her to be found.

The child’s mother didn’t. IMO

 

[WingsOverTX]

has anyone come across any of her family or friends talking about searching for her? I can't find anyone pleading for her to be found.

A plea might not matter due to the Alaska State Troopers having conducted a search and their right to refuse SAR requests to search. This was discussed earlier in the thread.

 

[WingsOverTX]

The child’s mother didn’t. IMO

How do you know this is true? She may have. The child's mother cannot force troopers to continue searching or to approve SAR groups to search.

I have not seen anything in MSM that states Alaska State Troopers were asked and refused to allow additional searches by professional SAR although they have the legal right to do so.

One sad thing about this case is not knowing whether anyone advocated for Mary after the troopers finished their search.

I haven't seen anything that answers that question.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Thank you for the pictures.
So not heavily forested, just dense brush?

It is not a static landscape of just one kind of terrain. It lies in the shadow of Denali with two major river crossings.

People have died in that terrain trying to reach the bus where Chris McCandless died. They removed the bus for that reason.

People Kept Getting Killed Trying To Reach The 'Into The Wild' Bus So The National Guard Airlifted It Out

State troopers estimated that 75 percent of rescues in the park were on the Stampede Trail, which leads to the bus where Chris McCandless died.

allthatsinteresting.com

 

[ttcRider]

How do you know this is true? She may have. The child's mother cannot force troopers to continue searching or to approve SAR groups to search.

I have not seen anything in MSM that states Alaska State Troopers were asked and refused to allow additional searches by professional SAR although they have the legal right to do so.

One sad thing about this case is not knowing whether anyone advocated for Mary after the troopers finished their search.

I haven't seen anything that answers that question.

I should have said 'advocated'. That is what I find so sad about her disappearance.

 

[ComfortablyNumbb]

I believe her car was found very near where the red truck is pictured at mile 6.8. Right @ComfortablyNumbb?

That is correct.