Woman Lost In National Park Found After Spelling 'SOS' With Rocks

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, CA — A woman from Mississippi who went missing for several days inside Sequoia National Park was found alive and safe after an aerial search team spotted a message from her: "S.O.S." spelled out in rocks.

Mary Joanna Gomez was visiting the Bay Area for her job as a traveling nurse, according to CNN. On her day off Wednesday, she told family she was visiting Kings Canyon National Park, but failed to show up to her next work shift on Friday, causing her family to report her missing.

Searchers found Gomez's car Saturday night at nearby Sequoia National Park, helping narrow down the search area. Then a California Air National Guard aircraft spotted her S.O.S. on the ground, and ground searchers found Gomez nearby Monday afternoon — "cold, thirsty and hungry, but in otherwise good health," according to a news release.

Gomez was found about 3.5 miles from her car, separated by rocky and steep terrain. She has been in touch with her family and will be reunited with them soon, the news release said.