Concord, NH – As the first snow of the season settles across New Hampshire this week—especially along I-93—drivers are being urged to prepare for the long winter ahead. 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 survived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts described his survival as “a miracle.” Some believe 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 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 alive.
With early snow arriving before Thanksgiving, state officials are urging New Hampshire drivers to pack emergency supplies—blankets, food, and water—before heading onto icy highways. The question remains: Could you survive stuck on I-93 for two months like he did?
