Career
She survived and her recovery was described as "a miracle". On December 20, 1980, Jean Hilliard was involved in a car accident which resulted in car failure in sub zero temperatures. She walked to a friend"s house 2 miles away and collapsed 15 feet outside of the door.
Temperatures dropped to -30 °C (-22 °F) and she was found frozen solid at 7 a.m. after six hours in the cold.
She was transported to Fosston Hospital where doctors said her skin was too hard to pierce with a hypodermic needle and her body temperature was too low to register on a thermometer. Her face was ashen and her eyes were solid with no response to light.
Her pulse was slowed to approximately 12 beats per minute. She was wrapped in an electric blanket.
After 49 days she awoke with no permanent damage to the brain or body besides frostbite.