Elderly man trapped in his car for a week by California snowstorm survived on snow and croissants

An 81-year-old man who was trapped in his car by late February’s California snowstorm survived for a week on snow and croissants, his family said.

Jerry Jouret was driving from Big Pine, Calif., to Gardnerville, Nev., on Feb. 24, his grandson Christian told CNN. Jerry thought he could beat the incoming storm, but he was wrong.

Jouret was not prepared to ride out a storm, according to his grandson. He brought only a light windbreaker and a quilt for warmth, and his food supply consisted of croissants, candy and biscotti.

But when his car got stuck on a remote highway just north of Death Valley National Park, Jouret hunkered down. He judiciously saved his fuel and car battery, even when temperatures dropped into the teens overnight. When he ran out of snacks, he rolled down his window and ate snow.

Jouret’s family reported him missing on Feb. 28, four days after he left Big Pine. Weather initially limited the emergency search and rescue operation, but Inyo County first responders spotted Jouret’s vehicle from a helicopter on March 2.

“I just really believe it was a miracle,” Jouret’s brother, Joe, told Patch. “[The pilot] looked down and he saw what looked like a rock as he looked down.… “It was [my brother’s] car. He was almost buried in snow, but not quite. He took his hand out of the window and waved it.”

First responders picked up Jouret and flew him to a hospital. He was in such stunningly good shape that he didn’t even stay the night.

“The nurses were in shock at how well his vitals were,” his grandson told CNN.