Teens survive three-week ordeal

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A combination of bush smarts and determination kept three teens alive after being stranded on a small lake island for 24 days without food or shelter.

The youths, two girls and a boy, survived on wild berries and water, keeping warm by the heat of a camp-fire they kept lit day and night. By the time an RCMP search team reached the island, the girls were so weak they couldn't walk.

Their three-week nightmare ended less than two hours after the RCMP boat and helicopter team started searching the Frog Lake area.

Danny Tokohopie 14, Brandy Gregg 13, of Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, and Roxanne Lee Nicklom 16, of Valley View, were found on a tiny island on Frog Lake, Alberta, approximately 210 km north of Edmonton. The teenagers were rushed to Elk Point Hospital suffering from exposure and released three days later. The young women were also treated for burns to their hands and feet from sleeping too close to the fire.

The teenagers' ordeal begun after venturing out on a small paddle boat during a local celebration by the lake shore Oct. 3. They wanted to cross the lake to the opposite Riel Beach, but got too cold and decided to stop at one of the islands to warm up.

When thy got to the island they forgot to secure their boat and it became lost in the waters. In an interview from his hospital bed, Tokohopie said they kept a fire burning in hopes that the smoke would attract their whereabouts. They even tried sending smoke signals.

"We prayed every day, all day long that we would be found. When you pray, your prayers are answered," he said.

Although they were only 300 metres from the shore, the frigid lake waters kept them from attempting to swim across. The intrepid trio attempted to build several rafts but each sank. They built and maintained a bonfire after three days, when their only lighter ran out of fuel, and took turns making sure it didn't go out.

The teenagers absence went unnoticed for several days. Their families thought each was at the other's home until one adult called and realized the teens were missing. The RCMP were alerted and started searching in Alberta and British Columbia.

Their search was fruitless until a notice was posted at Fishing Lake about the teenagers disappearance, two weeks after the event. As residents became aware of the missing youths, they contacted the RCMP with tips. Someone told RCMP about noticing smoke coming from one of the islands. When a boat was reported missing the police began searching the lake.

The teen lost 40 per cent of their body weight and probably would not have lasted another week on the island, said Dr. Drew Ramful, at Elk Point Hospital. Only hours after their rescue, the first snowfall of the season fell.