Indiana Woman Miraculously Survives 6 Days Trapped In Wrecked Car

The family of a 41-year-old woman says they "can't wait to hug her and kiss her" after she was miraculously found alive following six agonizing days trapped inside her wrecked car.

Brieonna Cassell had been driving to visit a friend in the Wheatfield and DeMotte area of Indiana on Wednesday, March 5, when she suddenly lost contact with her loved ones.

Concerned that something had gone terribly wrong, Cassell’s family launched a desperate search with the help of multiple Northwest Indiana rescue teams.

However, it wasn’t until Tuesday, March 11, that a drainage worker operating equipment near the roadway spotted an overturned vehicle hidden from passing cars.

The worker immediately contacted his supervisor, Jeremy Vanderwall, who also happens to be a volunteer fire chief.

Vanderwall quickly arrived at the scene to inspect the vehicle. To his shock, he discovered Cassell still inside—alive and able to speak.

According to ABC7 News, Cassell’s father, Delmar Caldwell, later explained that she had dozed off while driving, causing her vehicle to veer off the road.

Her car plummeted into a deep ditch, making it impossible for her to escape. With her phone battery completely drained, Cassell’s only hope was to call out for help. But as the days passed, no one could hear her.

Desperate to stay alive, she used her cardigan to absorb water from the ditch, wringing it out into her mouth to stay hydrated.

Her father described her agony: "She was in excruciating pain. She was screaming out for help. She could hear cars going by, but they couldn't see her from the road."

Brieonna Cassell suffered a series of injuries in the crash CBS News Chicago

Vanderwall recalled his initial conversation with Cassell, expressing his disbelief: "'That's you?'"

He then reassured her, saying: "I said, 'Your family's been looking for you.' I said, 'There are posts everywhere on social media.' I said, 'I can't believe you've been in this long'."

Once freed from the wreck, Cassell was airlifted to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where doctors began treating her for severe injuries, including multiple fractures in her legs, ribs, and wrist.

Her mother, Kim Brown, shared her relief: "She did what she could to survive," She continued, "I am so glad she was found alive, and I just can't wait to hug her and kiss her."

While Cassell remains in critical condition, doctors are monitoring the possibility that she may lose both lower legs due to the severity of her injuries. Her family, however, is holding on to hope.

Her father urged others not to lose faith in desperate situations, saying: "Don't give up. We had thought the worst. It had gone through our minds so many times, but thank God,"