A Mother's Guilt After Surviving 10 Days Lost in the Bush
Almost a decade after surviving a harrowing 10-day ordeal lost in dense bushland with her young son, Michelle Pittman still becomes emotional when reflecting on the experience. In 2017, then 40-year-old Michelle and her nine-year-old son Dylan set out for a bushwalk during the October long weekend. On the final day, they ventured into Mount Royal National Park in the Hunter region of New South Wales, where a wrong turn across a riverbed led them astray.
For the next 10 days, the pair had no water, food, or warm clothing. In a desperate bid to survive, they resorted to drinking their own urine. On Tuesday night's episode of SBS Insight, which focused on survivors' lucky escapes, Ms Pittman opened up about the guilt she still carries nine years later. 'The guilt is so real and it holds you back from moving past the trauma, because I blame myself for the decision I made to cross the river,' she told the program.
One particularly heartbreaking moment came when Dylan asked if Santa would still find them if they were lost in the bush two months later. 'It was hard because I knew what that meant if we were still lost then,' she said. She recalled telling him that if Santa came and they were still there, they would plant a tree and use little rocks to mark presents.
Another harrowing moment occurred on day seven. 'When we were up high on the mountain, we laid down to have a sleep, because it was easier to sleep in the day than it was at night,' she recalled. 'When I woke up and looked at Dylan, he was purplish blue and I screamed. He jolted awake and I knew that by looking at him, he didn't have long.'
Mother and son began their descent down the mountain, and two days later, they finally came across a puddle of water, which Ms Pittman described as 'liquid gold'. 'That's when I realised that he would be okay,' she said.
Ms Pittman had not informed any family or friends of their plans, and it took two days before anyone noticed they were missing. On day two, she first realised they were lost and 'in deep s**t'. Dylan recalled, 'I was so scared, I thought I was going to die. We were both freaking out at the same time. But if it wasn't for my mum, I don't know what we would have done.'
Back at home, Ms Pittman's daughter found a piece of paper on the kitchen bench listing places they planned to visit, including Mount Royal National Park. Detectives eventually located Ms Pittman's car there, ramping up the search.
By day four, inspired by bush survival expert Bear Grylls, the pair were drinking their own urine to stay alive. 'There is nothing to describe the taste of it - it was foul,' she said. 'But in a moment of survival, you'll do it.'
When they were found on day 11, both were suffering from severe dehydration, starvation, swollen legs, and insect bites. Rescue teams told Ms Pittman they had been given a 20 per cent chance of survival, and the search was scheduled to be called off two days later. The pair spent almost two weeks in hospital recovering.
Ms Pittman admitted she didn't feel lucky at the time. 'I didn't know how to process and work through it or help Dylan,' she said. 'But years later, looking back and reflecting, absolutely. We are very lucky to be alive.'
Bear Grylls later praised their efforts as 'resourceful and courageous', saying, 'You don't have to be the biggest or the strongest, you've just got to be the smartest and the most tenacious.'
