The husband of an Ancaster, Ont. woman who survived after being buried in snow for three days is calling her rescue a "Christmas miracle."
David Molnar told CTV Newsnet Tuesday that he spoke with several experts who all agreed that his wife, 55-year-old Donna, defied the odds by staying alive.
"It's a miracle. Everyone's calling it that and I would hate to disagree," he said. "My personal theory is that God cradled her and looked after her until she was found."
Search-and-rescue volunteer Ray Lau and his four-year-old dutch shepherd Ace -- who he calls a "four-legged star" -- found Donna Molnar buried in 60 centimetres of snow on Monday. She had not been seen since she left her house for cooking supplies Friday afternoon.
"I tried to give her a comforting feeling, just like I would want if I were in that situation," he said.
The Ancaster region, like much of Ontario, was hit with a major snow storm on Friday.
When Molnar was found, everything but her face and neck were covered, eventually giving the woman enough of an air passage to stay alive. There was also very little snow underneath her, leading authorities to believe she had been lying in the same spot since Friday.
Police said the snow's insulating effect may have also had a hand at keeping the woman alive, despite the fact that she was exposed to below-freezing temperatures and frigid winds.
Molnar is in danger of losing some extremities but doctors are confident she will survive the ordeal.
"She's in serious condition. She's constantly sedated. Doctors are assessing her to determine the extent of her injuries," said her husband.
David Molnar and the couple's 20-year-old son Matthew spent the weekend worrying about the woman's fate, especially after her SUV was found abandoned Saturday night.
"That was disheartening and it really made us question whether or not we were going to find her alive," said Sgt. Mark Cox of the Hamilton police. "In cases like this with search and rescue, we frequently find people deceased."
They knew she had been having a tough time lately, suffering from depression, the Globe and Mail reported.
Donna Molnar's family was overcome to discover she was found alive, albeit suffering from hypothermia and frostbite.
Though she was conscious when she was found, doctors put the woman under heavy sedation once she arrived at the hospital.
"I haven't been able to speak to her but I saw her yesterday," Molnar said. "I whispered into her ear, 'Welcome back, I love you.' We'll have an opportunity to talk to her over the next few days."
"We're hopeful and we continue to be hopeful that she'll make a full recovery," he added.
The family had suffered Christmas tragedies in the past. Eight years ago, Molnar's mother-in-law died on Dec. 22. Then, two years later, her mother died on Christmas Day.
With a report by CTV's Scott Laurie
