Boston, MA – As Massachusetts welcomes the first snow of the season, especially along I-90, winter driving and preparedness are once again top of mind. 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 enduring roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his car 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 suggested his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which trapped just enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers finally reached him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books nearby. Doctors at Umea University Hospital said he was suffering from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but somehow survived.
With early snow returning before Thanksgiving, Massachusetts officials urge drivers to carry emergency kits with blankets, food, and water in their vehicles this week. As the Bay State braces for colder days ahead, one question lingers: Could you survive stuck on I-90 for two months like he did?
