Hikers lost in McConnells Mill share amazing story of survival

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Pa. — Two hikers in Lawrence County who had been reported missing Monday night were found safe overnight, and shared their story of survival with Channel 11 News.

Channel 11's Pamela Osborne reported a group of four people got split up in McConnells Mill State Park Monday afternoon into evening.

Cole Ransom told Channel 11's Brittny McGraw that he and Kathryn Texter had no food, nothing to drink and eventually, their cellphones ran out of battery.

“We came out here around 3:30, and got split up from the rest of the group. We got cut off the trial, and we got lost,” Ransom said.

A command post was set up at Eckert Bridge as several search and rescue crews set out to locate the hikers -- who were missing for several hours.

Rescuers eventually found Ransom and Texter just after midnight. Paramedics checked the pair out, and they were fine.

“God bless them. If it wasn’t for (emergency crews) we probably would have died out there,” Ransom said.

Ransom and Texter’s friends said they were worries about what could have happened.

“I was going through my head, ‘Did they drown? Did they fall down? Can they not get up because they’re hurt?’ It was just emotional,” friend Kevin Wallace said.

Ransom and Texter told McGraw they don’t plan on going hiking again anytime soon.

WPXI