A 77-year-old cyclist is recovering after falling 130 feet into a ravine in a mountainous region of France, surviving for three days on red wine he had just bought at a supermarket, according to multiple media reports.
The horrific ordeal happened when the 77-year-old returned home after running to the grocery store, but missed a turn on a mountain road in the Cevennes region and flew down a steep rocky slope in the valley near Sant Julian des Points. CBS News reported.
Miraculously, his grocery bag containing a small amount of food and several bottles of wine survived the treacherous fall into the Gardon River bed.
The man was unable to get out of the valley, and tried to shout at the car drivers passing more than 100 feet above him, although none of the drivers heard his screams.
It was not until October 28, according to French media to interveneWorkers in the area heard the 77-year-old man’s screams for help, spotted his mangled bicycle tire, and eventually laid eyes on the septuagenarian, “who appeared visibly exhausted but conscious.”
Firefighters help remove the cyclist from the valley. He was then transferred by helicopter to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Dr. Laurent Savath, chief medical officer of the Hérault Fire Department, told French outlets that the man’s survival was a miracle.
“In the cold and wet, with almost no food or water, they are incredibly resilient,” he said.
Even after falling into the river several times while trying to climb out of the ravine, the 77-year-old managed to get through the terrifying incident with minor injuries and a mild case of hypothermia.