Flustered And Unsure Of Direction
Gerry had been disoriented in the woods around 11 a.m. Gerry, according to Jane Lee, “had taken a wrong turn on the route more than once,” which meant he “had gone the wrong way.” Additionally, Jane stated that when Gerry made these types of blunders, she “got irritated and confrontational.” When Jane was walking with Gerry, she would always stay a few steps ahead of her, ready to direct Gerry back onto the correct path if she became disoriented or fell behind. Gerry, on the other hand, was absolutely alone that day. She sent a text message to her husband at 11:01 a.m. to inform him that she had become disoriented. “I’m in a lot of trouble. I got off the route to go to the bathroom. Now I’m lost. Possibly, you could contact [the Appalachian Mountain Club] to inquire whether a trail maintainer can assist me. Somewhere north of the woodland road, if I remember well. XOX.” Unfortunately, there was no signal, and thus George did not receive this message at all.
A Dark and Desolate Wood
Gerry continued his journey deeper into the jungle in an attempt to reach higher ground. She reasoned that if she climbed high enough, she might be able to find a site with a cellular connection and, with luck, see where the route went. After a few miles of trekking, she was still disoriented, and the sun was setting, along with her hopes of reaching the shelter before nightfall. To make matters worse, black clouds had begun to gather overhead. She had no choice but to pitch her tent and prepare to spend the night utterly alone in the midst of the woods because she had run out of options. However, despite having boldly and happily embarked on the trek by herself, Gerry was apparently predisposed to nervousness and suffered from manic episodes, according to reports. Her first night alone in the dark, barren forest must have been terrible, especially because she was well aware that no one else was aware that she had become separated from the group.
