To give up. So you just had a hunch . Better than a hunch. And one womans grit and determination. As soon as the sun comes out, im going to have to try to make it. Strength this gutsy mom never even knew she had kept her going, but would it be enough it get her out alive . I want to see my babies and my mom. A haunting message. A harrowing journey. Im lester holt, and this is dateline against all odds. Heres andrea canning. Reporter the Sierra Nevada mountains, california, november 2012. I was so cold. I couldnt feel my feet anymore, and i couldnt get warm. Reporter a ferocious winter storm had trapped 46yearold paula lane. No one knew where she was, is and she thought she was going to die. I begged to be taken. Reporter but she was desperate to see her children. So she set out on a dangerous journey. Im going to die, im going to die trying. Reporter and in case she didnt make it, she left a goodbye message. Im so sorry. This has happened. Reporter the story began days earlier on thursday, november 29th. Paula lane and her boyfriend, ready clifton, were doing chores here at his moms place in a sacramento suburb called citrus heights. That morning, thursday machinerying, he got up on the roof and start repairing. Reporter she was in the garden pulling up green tomato plant. I love gardening, my hands in the dirt. Thats another passion of mine. I love gardening. Reporter ready and paula were a freewheeling 40something couple, adventurers both. She has 11yearold twin boy. Rod had three daughters of his own. They had been a couple for six months. I always felt safe with him. Always. Reporter he was your protector. I called him my superman. Reporter on this november day they were planning to drive to paulas place in gardnerville, nav na, for dinner, a 2 1 2hour drive through the mountains. Before they left, paula called her mom whom she lived with. She grabbed a bag of those green tomatoes, and they were ready to go. It was midafternoon. How was the weather that day . It was clear. When we left. Reporter a Beautiful Day . Yeah. Absolutely, it was. Reporter both paula and rod were dressed for late fall, in jeans and light jackets. It was almost 60 degrees that day. I had on my cat tennis shoe which are leather. Reporter they were driving readys jeep cherokee, a 1989 model he had just acquired. They drove through the mountains and made an impromptu stop about 25 miles from paulas place. While they were there, she picked up some rock and put them in her pocket. Im a rock hound. I love rocks. And everywhere i go usually i pick up a couple. Reporter paula never dreamt how important those rocks would become. Their next stop was at the intersection of two main highways. This place. Its called a yurt. A girl rents out crosscountry skis. Reporter they decided to check it out, so they pulled in, poked around and then drove to a Mountain Road they knew well. The road had a gate across it and a sign saying closed. Rod says, i want to go test out the jeep in deep snow. I said, well, no, you cant. The gates closed. And he sayses, well, yes, we can. I said theres going to be a big fine. I dont think this is going to be a good idea. Reporter but she is rod prevailed, took the trees in the tree in a wide arc and regained the ride higher up. It was enough for me to say, i dont think we should do this. And because i trusted him so much, if i would have said rod, no, he would have said, okay. He would have. Reporter they both knew this Mountain Road. Theres a lake at the end about six miles away called Burnside Lake. They had camped there this the summer with paulas boys. And anyway, it was a kick. Fourwheeling new the snow. Its a popular activity in these parts especially in the back country. But then paula wanted it turn around, and rod wanted to keep twg. I said, well, how about lets turn around now, you know. Well, this isnt a good place to turn around. So we kept going. Now we might as well go all the way to the end. Reporter were you having a twood time . Kind of and kind of not. Reporter they made it to Burnside Lake around 7 00 that evening. The snow here was deep. It was cold. Very cold. And it was here that things went terribly wrong. We went to do a threepoint turn, and we went reverse and forward, it was an absolute drop thug. It was like uhoh. S he said, thats okay. Well get out of this. Well rock it. Well do whatever. Reporter the jeeps left front tire was wedged in a deep rut. They did everything they could to free it, but nothing worked. And they couldnt call for help. There was no cell phone service. Back at home, paulas mom, dolores, d for short wasnt too worried when they didnt show up. It was the fact they didnt call that surprised her. Paula was good about calling and letting us know where she was or what her time schedule was. Reporter d kept things normal that night with paulas 11yearold twins, sam and hayden. She told them their mom was on their way home, but time dragged. Rods mom called me later that thursday evening. She said, have you heard from the kids . And i said no. She said, well, i havent either. Reporter alexius is rods younger sister. She got a call from her mom that night, too. And it was, have you heard anything from your brother yet . Am i supposed to hear something from my brother . Reporter you didnt think anything of it . Didnt think anything of it, nothing. Reporter by 11 00 that night after spending four hours trying to get the jeep free, paula was exhausted. Get in the jeep. Lets snuggle up, get warm and go at this again in the morning. Reporter that was a major decision to say,ware going to spend the night here. Have to. We had to. Reporter so you have almost no gas . Correct. Reporter no water . Correct. Reporter no boots . Correct. Reporter no warm clothes . Correct. Reporter and barely any food . Correct. Reporter they huddled together in the back of the jeep, wet and tired and freezing cold. It was add, and it was about to get worse. Lets talk about the timing of these three storm. Reporter there were storms on the way. Severe storm. Paula and rod didnt have a clue. How did you not know about the storm . You hadnt listened to the radio or tv . No. And thats not like me, but i figured he must have or just it was silly. Reporter the snow started falling overnight. And temperatures fell below freezing. Paula kept telling herself to be positive, but she remembers the words she blurted out to rod as the storm gathered force around them. I said, tell them that night i didnt want to die. By the next day, the couple faced a terrifying choice. Stay trapped in the jeep and hope for a rescue or head out into the storm and struggle for miles through four feet of snow. We kissed each other and said we loved as a winter storm howled around them, paula lane and her boyfriend, rod clifton, spent a frigid nate trapped in their jeep in the Sierra Nevada mountains. When friday morning came, there was a lull in the storm. They tried again to pull the jeep out. Again, they had no luck. And i said, you know, one of us needs to try to get out. Reporter she knew they were so isolated that no one would find them, if anyone was even looking. Rod medley volunteered to go. When he said, paula, im leaving, what did you say to him . Well, i was twg to go because i had the better clothing, i thought, and he didnt. He says, no, no, im going to go. Reporter paula says she tried to get him to wait, but he wouldnt. So she prepared him. It was a sixmile trek out, and the snow was waist deep in places. She couldnt do much about his wet motorcycle pants, but she could about his shoes. He had little tiny tennis shoes on. Like beat shoes. I said, well, let me get yur feat wrapped up in this plastic bag i cut thisput around his feet, taped it up and then put my sock over the top of that. Reporter she gave him her ski mask to cover his face, and he was ready. He was looking down for a long time. And then he looked at me, and we kissed each other and said we loved each other. And its almost like he knew, too. Reporter knew what . That it would probably be the last tame we ever saw each other. Reporter she watched him walk away. A big guy fighting to get through the snow. She was still watching when a gust of snow blew up, whiting him out. I wish i would have begged him to stay. Reporter by now two families were uneasy, calling each other. Alexius, rods sister. Well, have you heard anything yet . No, i havent heard anything yet. Reporter that afternoon ds uneasiness turned into outright fear. The boys came home from school and said, is mom here in then my heart dropped. I said no, we havent heard from them yet. Reporter finally rods mom couldnt take it anymore. Late friday afternoon, lois clifton filed a missing persons report for rod and paula in california. It was horrible. Wondering. Knowing that there was a snowstorm. Reporter that night d called her local Sheriffs Department in nevada. Paulas sons in their ed room were listening. When we first knew she was missing, grandma called and shes, like, i would like to report a missing person. She didnt know we were awake, so we heard that whole conversation. Reporter were you worried . Yeah. Reporter did you think that maybe something bad had happened to her . Yeah. Yeah. Reporter it was becoming clear to d that the whole family needed to pull together if they were ever going to find the missing couple. She called her son, gary. After all, he had always watched over his little sister. I look out for her. You know, its kind of hard to keep an eye on that girl. Reporter gary knew paula had taken off in the past without telling anyone where she was going. But d told him this time was different. Mom made sure that i was aware that it was different, you know. Thats the call that i got. Straight from the boss. Reporter back at Burnside Lake, paula dozed, waiting for rods return. But as the hours passed, the storm got worse. The temperature dropped. Snow wouldnt let up, and rod was out there somewhere. He was walking out into the worst of it. Reporter marc feinen is the chief meteorologist at sacramentos kcratv. If he was trying it make that sevenmile trip down into it, i dont know how he could have done that. Reporter at 11 00 p. M. , paula woke up scared, upset. Rod had told her hed be back in a couple of hours, but he had been gone 14. I just knew something happened. Something not good. Reporter where did your mind go at that point . I wanted it help him. All i could think of, i cant even go help him. Reporter paula ran the car to get warm, using the last of the gas. She had never felt so alone. She didnt think anyone would be looking for them. That night she started what became a ritual. I would say out loud, mom, sam, hayden, Burnside Lake. Burnside like. I would say it out loud. Burnside lake. Reporter tell them where you were. Yes. Reporter the same night as hayden was lying this bed watching tv, the strangest thing happened. A tv show came on, Burnside Lake, tours now. Reporter hayden remembered the lake from camping trip. So you saw the commercial, and that made you think maybe thats where they are . Yeah. Then i came out and told grandma. Reporter it d it was as if he had heard his mom. So she called her local Sheriffs Office to suggest a search of Burnside Lake. Theyve camped back in there several times. Okay. Just in case they might have sure. Gotten stuck or the car quit working on them. Reporter an Alpine County sheriffs official was dispatched to look. He reported back to his boss. Burnside lake is closed and the road is snowed in. They call and told me they couldnt go in there. Because of the locked gate and the snow. Reporter so tu just think, okay . I figured they knew what they were talking about, you any. I didnt push it. Thats a horrible regret. Not saying you guys have got to go down there. Reporter that night paula wasnt just cold and lonely and scared. She was grieving. You didnt know what happen to rod, obviously, but i knew. Reporter you knew. Because of how wicked the storm got. Reporter and the weather was about to get even worse, and paula became convinced shed never make it out alive. I want to see my babies and my mom. Turn around every now and then i get a little bit hungry and theres nothing really good around turn around every now and then i get a little bit tired of living off the taste of the air turn around, barry i finally found the right snack with our new, improved Peanut Butter chewy bars. Reporter on saturday, december 1st, paula woke up about 6 00 a. M. She had survived a second night in the wild, but she was worried sick about her boyfriend, ready, who had hiked out for help the day before. We had no clue what was coming how hard it would be. To try to traipse out of there. Reporter things were grim in the jeep. Paula was living on one green tomato a day, eating any it stay hydrated and drawing on every ounce of ingenuity she possessed it stay warm. Remember those rocks she had picked up a lifetime ago . She needed them now. I look under the seat, and there was a budweiser can, an empty one, and we had some motor oil. And rod had his folder with his resume in it. I wadded up some little piece of paper, put a couple drops of oil in there, put the rocks in there, caught them on fire and a couple time to the them hot enough and stuck them in the pocket of my inner jacket. Reporter by now she was wearing three pairs of jeans, three jacket and sock she had made from masking tape and tissue. I had no more masking tape. I had no more reporter you were running out of options. So i had to preserve the socks that i had made. Reporter that day as rain lashed the lower elevations, searchers went out looking for the missing couple, checking highways in two states, callal and nevada. Lois, robs mom, searched, too, and drove right by the road paula and rod had taken. I got 288 and 89, and i looked up the hill and i said, oh, thats where they went camping. And there was no sign of them. Reporter no one could locate the missing jeep. It was torture for the families. Linta hathaway is paulas older sister. I told my husband, i said, ive got to go be with my mom. They told us that they had the search and rescue out, and they had to wait for the storm to pass before they could use the helicopters. Reporter at Burnside Lake, paula had a brief blazing moment of hope. She caught a glimpse of the sun, the first in two day. She gathered her things as fast as she could, frantic to make a break for it. But then the storm came roaring back. And i just had to keep telling myself, its for the to break. Got to break. When things are going through your mind, you know, numbers going to find you back here. Youll freeze to death in this jeep. Reporter it must be very tempting to want to just go. Yeah, because youre terrified. Reporter saturday night the storm raged stronger than ever. Meteorologist mark finen. The winds were howling with that one. If we saw the strongest winds up here, it was late saturday night, early saturday morning. Reporter gusts of wind slammed into the jeep, rocking it violently. There was no way paula could sleep, no way to stay warm. That was the night her dreams bow gan. And they were horrible. I was right by the gate, and i was calling 911, somebody help me. Well, we are 911. Well, can you come in here is and get me . No. The gates closed, and were not allowed to come on that side. Reporter so in your dreams, theres help, but they wont come and get you . Yeah. Yeah. It was just, like, right there. Right there. Reporter by day three, she was spent, cold and frightened and at her wits end. It is now sunday morning, and the snow has not let up. Its about 6 1 2 feet deep, i think. Im held up here this the jeep. Reporter she survived so far on guts and green tomatoes. But she knew she couldnt hold out much longer. Sitting in the jeep, she used the last of the battery in her camera to make a farewell video for her family. Ive eaten as much snow as i can remember to. Ive tried to stay warm. I just want to come home. Rod left friday morning. Today is sunday. He left on friday morning to go get help but didnt come back. I dont know what happened to him. I dont know if he got hypothermia or frostbite or if some critter got him. He didnt come back. I feel so bad. I trayed to insist on him waiting to go out. I didnt want him to go out. Reporter and then came the most heartbreaking moment of all. I just want to see my baby and my mom. Im so sorry this has happened. I just wadidnt want it to tn out the way it did. You can obviously see that i thought i was going to die. Coming up, on the fourth morning, paula would make a faithful decision. Nothing could have prepared her for the consequences. You know, this is it. This is how its going. Reporter paula lane had started her third day in the Sierra Nevada mountains in tears, recording that farewell video for her family. Im so sorry this has happened. Reporter but paula wasnt leaving the jeep any time soon. The winds were especially fierce that morning, gusting up to 80 miles an hour. I cant see how she could have looked out the window of the jeep and thought, oh, now is a good time to go. Anytime during the day sunday. Reporter paula was holed up in the back seat with no way to know that search team were out looking for her. Whenever the weather allowed it. The same day paulas brother, gary, and a friend conducted their own search. We were stopping at restaurant and bars and places and asking, had they seen them . Reporter paula spent another night sleeping fitfully. Sunday turn into monday, day four. She woke up early and kicked her way out of the jeep, hechecked e sky and couldnt believe what she saw. The storm was over. Finally. It was warm outside of the jeep. That was a nobrainer, get the heck out of here. Reporter she got back into the jeep and packed her backpack. I had new knife, my flashlight, my scissors, my ibuprofen and my tomatoes, of course, the couple i had left. Reporter youre like the macgyver of the mountain. She put on tape and tissue and said goodbye to the jeep. Kicked my way out and headed off. Reporter on you said im going for it . Yeah. Im getting out of here. Maybe i can find rod and still save him and kind of lost the hope of that happening real quick. Reporter why . She was sinking in snow that came up to her thighs in places. Some four feet of fresh snow had fallen while she was stranded in the jeep. I was crawling. Reporter week after her ordeal, dateline took paula back to Burnside Lake. She showed us how she crawled to get through the deep snow. But, you know, id just go like that. Like that. And you know, i looked down, and i started following the trail and just keep going. And whenever id stop to eat some snow and rest, i would always whistle, yell. Reporter thats a good whistle. But she was deteriorating out there on her own. Her body was failing her. She started to vomit blood. She continued down the road, but her progress was painfully slow. What gave you the strength to keep going . I wanted to see my baby. Youve seen finding nemo. Just keep crawling just keep crawling i was saying it out loud. Reporter by monday evening she was beyond tired. She continued to throw up blood violently. She couldnt feel her fet, her hands, and she couldnt stop shaking. She had one tomato left, and she couldnt bear to eat it. She rested against a tree and finally hit her breaking point. I at that point laid there and said, please forgive me, but please take me now. I thought about taking off my clothes just to get it done faster. Reporter because you had been so strong up to this point. What changed . I knew that i hadnt made it very far. Nobody was looking for me out there. You know, this was it. This was how im going. Reporter she crawled over to a mound in the snow. Turns out it was a hollow tree, lying on the ground. It didnt take her long it figure out that she had just discovered a refuge. If you look down in there, you can see how far it goes. Reporter paula climbed inside, leaving only her face exposed. She soon discovered she was shacked up with a nest of spiders, and those spiders were biting her. She was too exhausted to care. She fell asleep in the stump, not knowing or caring if she ever woke up again. I want to go home. Reporter by now, the story of the missing couple had hit the local news. I ache. Reporter both families were losing hope. All the searches including their own had failed. Paulas mom, d would lie awake at night and think the worst. It they go off a cliff . Maybe they were carjacked. Then id turn the tv on hoping there would be something there. Reporter what was it like for you, linda, the waiting . Its very hard because theres no sign, in, you know, and nobody coming to say, hey, we havent found a car. Reporter paulas twins dealt with it their way. My one friend, daniel, his dad is a snowplowman. So i told him, because he knows what our mom look like. I told him, tell your dad, see if he can find our mom. Reporter but a snowplowman would never have found their mom, inside a tree stump in the unforgiving sierra. Paula spent the whole day tuesday in her stump, mostly sleeping. On wednesday, day six, she knew that after two nights and a day in the stump, it was time to go. I thought, well, you know what . I dont want to go back in this thing. It was just like an overwhelming feeling like none other. Reporter so she set out again, crawling, pushing her backpack in front of her, following the road. And soon she made a heartbreaking discovery. And i just crawled right up on him. Right there. Reporter it was rod, her superman, lying on his back in the middle of the road with his arms crossed. And she says a smile on his face. And i knew he wasnt alive because there was just a little bit of snow across his neck and cross half of his mouth right here. Reporter she knelt and cried and said goodbye. I said thank you for trying to save my life. Reporter do you think rod had a moment like you, given the way you found him that he had said its my time now . Yeah. Reporter im ready . And im going to not go out suffering. Reporter did seeing rod, for some reason, give you strength to go on . Oh, yeah. Reporter even though he didnt make it . Oh, yeah. Reporter why did that give you strength . Because one of us had to make it out for our kids. I used to tell them, his daughters, and i needed to be there for my son. Reporter she spent half an hour kneeling by his body. And then she says it was time to go. I had no doubt i was getting out of there, no matter what it took. I was going to die trying. Coming up, while paula struggles it get out, her family gets a bizarre clue from thousands of miles away. I knew she was there. I knew it was her. I want you to know stuff i want you to be kind. I want you to be smart. Super smart. I want one thing in a doctor. To speak my language. I dont want you to look at the chart before you say hi. David. Quiero que me hagas sentir segura. I want you to be awesome. Thats the doctor i want. At kaiser permanente, we want you to choose the doctor thats right for you. Find your Perfect Match at kp. Org and thrive. We live in an uber connected, hyper documented, social media savvy and totally technologically enhanced world. And its important for you to be the first to talk with your kids about the internet. Youll help them be responsible online. The more you know. Reporter by wednesday, december 5th, paulas sixth day this the wild, gary lane had become convinced that his sister and rod were at Burnside Lake. And what was it about Burnside Lake . They had disappeared up there one time before. Thats where they were. Reporter so you just had a hunch . It would be better than a hunch, isnt it . Reporter gary and his puddy decided they had to go and check out Burnside Lake themselves and do it their way. I remember you said you knew in your heart that she was there. Thats true. Reporter but they ran into trouble immediately. Problems with their jeep. As ryan worked on it, gary spted a stateowned front loader in a nearby shed. I know how it drive that, i said. He goes, ryan, theres a loader in there. Reporter was it locked up . No, it wasnt lock up. Reporter so it was just there for the taking . No, it wasnt there for the taking. Reporter for your purposes . Gary is a maverick, so borrowing the loader, a vehicle like this one, wasnt a stretch. Plus gary had driven tanks in the army. He had in trouble getting the big machine moving, and it went a short distance, but then he couldnt change gears. So the tractor wouldnt go any farther. And it was getting dark. And thats when i said, well, were going to have to find another way. Were going to have to do something different. Reporter but they were cold and tire. They decided to go back to ds place, never guessing what would happen next. Im not sure if i was asleep, but it was so real. Reporter tamara small would give them a lead, the only one they had. Although it seemed bizarre at the time, tamara lives across the country near albany, new york. Growing up she loved her cool aunt paula. When she heard paula was missing, tamara couldnt stop worrying. One night was especially bad. I was up all night that night, you know, crying and racking may brain. Reporter she finally went to bed, and perhaps the lane family bond was at work that night because suddenly tamara says she felt her aunt paula in the room. All of a sudden i got this overwhelming sensation of warmth. I felt like she was right next to my nightstand. I couldnt see her, couldnt hear her. I knew she was there. Thats when i started dreaming about her being in a big body of water, stranded. I couldnt really see her, but i knew it was her. Reporter but during the dream, she was alive . Very much alive. Very much alive. Reporter tamara wanted an explanation. So she decided to go to a psychic. She couldnt see, you know, if anybody was dead or alive. She did say that she saw a blue vehicle and water. Reporter the psychic was right about one thing. Rods jeep was dark blue. Tamara called her dad. What did you tell your father about this dream . I said, dad, this is a little dream that i had, but i really have this strong instinct that you need to look near water. Reporter her dad immediately called fwarry who had just returned from the failed attempt to go up to Burnside Lake. She described that place to a t going in there. And then she described the jeep. Reporter you must have been thinking, come on. Psychic . You know, i had nothing else to grasp for, to point me in the right direction, but that was enough, you know. Reporter but his mom didnt want him to go back that night. D feared she might lose another child. I said, fwgary, its dark. Its late. Wait till tomorrow, you can see what youre doing. Reporter what did gary say to you . Im going, mom. Reporter and he did. He and brian headed back to burnside road. But linda and d werent holding out hope theyd be any more successful this time, so she told paulas boys their mom might not return. Sam still chokes up at the thought. Our grandma is in her last years, she cant take care of us. So who are we going to go to . I mean, our mom she hasnt taught us everything yet. Reporter little did they know the drama that was playing out just 20 miles away on the side of a mountain because this time gary managed to get the loader working. And he took it up burnside road. It was tough going. The . I was getting deep. And the tractor wouldnt go anymore. I was picking it up. Scooping it up. Reporter incredible as it sounds, gary was guided by the tracks rods jeep had left six day before, still visible even after the storm. Did you see catch a glimpse of the tracks first . Four or five foot of snow, theres two tracks going, follow me, boys. I mean, i couldnt have not followed them if i try p. Reporter as gary was maneuvering up the road, paula was crawling down. She remembers it began to rain about 7 00 that night. I started getting really scared because the coat i had on wasnt water resistant. And i curled up into a ball, and i had a good cry. Reporter and then miraculously, she heard noises. I heard the tractor. And then pretty soon i see lights. Im, like, im near the road. Oh, my god im near the road i can make it yea you know. And im screaming and whistling. Reporter gary taught her that whistle when they were kids, but he didnt hear her at first. Not until he turned the tractor off. Then he knew. Thats her, you know. I knew it was her. Reporter he got the big machine moving again and headed her way. I heard the tractor start again. Im, like, oh, god. Reporter have you ever felt such joy in your whole life . No, never. Coming up, emotions catch up with paulas kids who came so close to losing their mom to the mountains. That would have just been so bad. And allah answers those who say she took too many chances. You didnt feel reckless . So what can i get you . Well take something tasty and healthy. If you wanna go and fly with me its buzz the bee on your tv oh how did i get this way . Hey must be the honey theres a party going on in your cereal bowl os can help lower cholesterol oh why does it taste so great . Hey must be the honey hey must be the honey hey must be the honey after six days in the wilderness, paula lane finally heard signs of life. She kept move, propelling herself forward, separate to reach them, whoever they were. She came out of nowhere and was in the middle of the road. O of nowhere, she lands there. Reporter garys friend brian picked her up and bundled her into dry clothes. She was saying she was going to lose her feet. She was worried about that. Reporter but she still had no idea who was driving the tractor. And then she heard a voice asking, wheres rod . And i said, hes dead. And i hear, what . I said, its gary. I think i said his name a million times. Gary, gary, gary i said it a million time. And he pointed at me. He said, ive got you. Ive got you. I knew you were here. I dont know. I was pretty happy. That was probably more out of control, too. Reporter somehow they got into the loaders bucket and rode down the hill. A short time later gary called home. Paulas sister, linda, picked up the phone. He said, i have her. I have her. She put the phone a little away from her ear, and we could hear him say that he found her. We came unglued. Aunt linda was screaming and yelling. When he finallied those words, everybody just dropped everything. Reporter gary took paula to this resort nearby, and she managed it eat a few mouthfuls of soup. When gary came riding in on his horse, in this case, a caltrans tractor, you pretty much only had hour left it live. I wouldnt have made it that night. Lets put it that way. I was still four miles away from the road. I would have never made it. Reporter she was whisked away by ambulance to this Carson City Hospital and treated for mild frostbite on her feet. Doctors called her a lucky woman. She really looked pretty good, i thought. As soon as the boys walked in, she just beamed. They said you survived off of tomatoes. And watermelon. No, just tomatoes. I wish it was watermelon. I dont think id be here without those. I know i wouldnt be here if it werent for you guys, green toe tate mate toes and uncle gary. Look up the word joy in the dictionary, and youll see my face. I mean, it was what i lived for. Reporter it was, they all agreed, a miracle, but both families mourned rods death. His mother, lois, got the bad news in a phone call from gary. Gary said, im sorry, but rods dead. And i pulled over to the side of the road and just lost it. Reporter alexius, rods sister, got word at the hospital. And i just fell to the floor in the hospital. My kids bawling. Reporter and back on the mountain with dateline, paula remembered her superman. One of the hardest things i would imagine about this spot is that this is the last time we saw rod alive. Do you think about that now that youre back . Huhuh. I dont want to think p the day i saw him walking away. I want to think about him being okay. Reporter a report from the Alpine CountySheriffs Department later showed rod died of hypothermia. But it also revealed he had methamphetamine and thc, the active ingredient in pot, in his body. Paula insists they werent doing drug together during their ordeal. She knows there are critics out there, people who have accused the couple of being reckless. She readily cops it making a mistake but nothing more. I can tell you this. That if it was an area that we had never been to, i dont think you would have ever done that. But because we know it so well, there was an element of comfortableness. Reporter was there an element of recklessness or no, no. Reporter you didnt feel reckless . No. Not at all. Reporter paulas boys still think about rods death and how close they came to losing their mother. If mom was up there, too, that would have just been so bad. It would have been really sad that they wouere both gone, but thank god she wasnt up there, too. Reporter how lucky do you feel to have your mom with you every day . Very lucky. Reporter paula lane now enjoys family and friends as never before. And she wants to make those six days in the wilderness count, to be a better mother, daughter and sister. To live her life differently. Its a second chance. To be whole again because i was in such a dark spot. A second chance. Reporter so who is the paula Going Forward . I just want to have a normal, happy life. See my kids grow up and be successful. You know, every day above grounds a good day. Reporter you came out here for closure. Do you have it . I think so. I think so. It was our fault, in the mother natures. Yeah, i just im okay. Thats all for now. Im lester holt. Thanks for joining us. Let it be known this is a problem and its something i will get fixed. Good evening. Its a game changer for the 49ers. Aldon smith took to the field today, but this is the last youll see of him for a while. Hes take an indefinite leave of absence. Hello, henry. Hello. Two days after being arrested on suspicion of dui, also don