WAILUKU, Hawaii — A Hawaii woman who has Tampa Bay area ties has been found alive in a forest on Maui island after going missing more than two weeks ago.
- Missing 16 days, woman found injured in Maui forest
- Amanda Eller previous worked as physical therapist in Bay area
- Hundreds of volunteers had been searching for her
Amanda Eller, 35, was found injured in the Makawao Forest Reserve, the Maui News reported Friday.
She was reported missing May 9.
"And there were times of total fear and loss and wanting to give up, and it did come down to life and death and I had to choose," Eller said Saturday from a hospital bed. "And I chose life."
Family spokeswoman Sarah Haynes had confirmed she spoke with Eller’s father John. Eller previously lived and worked in Tampa and St. Petersburg as a physical therapist.
The physical therapist from the Maui town of Haiku went missing on May 8. Her white Toyota RAV4 was found in the forest parking lot with her phone and wallet inside.
Hundreds of volunteers searched for her. Eller said she appreciates the way the community rallied behind the cause.
"People that know me, people that don't know me all came together. Just under the idea of helping one person make it out of the woods alive, just warms my heart."
Javier Cantellops said he was searching for Eller from a helicopter along with Chris Berquist and Troy Helmers when they spotted her, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Cantellops said she was in the bed of a creek with waterfalls on either side.
The Honolulu newspaper also reported that a photo was posted to a Facebook page tracking the search, showing a smiling Eller with what appeared to be injuries to her face and dirt on her clothing. The photo shows Eller surrounded by Cantellops, Berquist and Helmers.