Wilmington, DE – As Delaware prepares for the first snow of the season, especially along I-95, winter weather safety is once again top of mind for drivers. But imagine being trapped inside your car for two months, surviving only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man was discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his vehicle became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he lived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts called his survival “astonishing.” Some theorized his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which trapped enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers found him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books inside. Doctors at Umea University Hospital confirmed he was suffering from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but survived against all odds.
With early snowfall expected before Thanksgiving, Delaware emergency officials urge drivers to pack cold-weather supplies including blankets, food, and water in their cars. As winter sets in across the First State, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck on I-95 for two months like he did?
