Portland, ME – As Maine braces for the first snow of the season, especially along I-95, winter preparedness is once again in the spotlight. But imagine this: being trapped in your car for two months in subzero temperatures, living only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man as discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea, northern Sweden. Authorities say his vehicle became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he survived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts called his case a “miracle.” Some believe his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism; others credit the “igloo effect” of his snow-covered car, which trapped enough warmth to sustain him.
When rescuers finally found him, Skyllberg was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag, with only cigarettes and comic books inside. Doctors at Umea University Hospital said he suffered from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—yet somehow survived.
As snow returns to Maine before Thanksgiving, state officials urge residents to pack emergency kits with blankets, water, and nonperishable food before hitting icy roads. With more winter weather expected in the days ahead, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck on I-95 like he did?
