Woman, 85, drove for over 18 hours across 250 miles after getting lost on her way to Walmart before being rescued by kind cops who fixed up her car and took her home
- Janet Finegan set off for Walmart on December 23 but got lost on her way to Walmart
- She ended up driving more than 250 miles and for more than 18 hours
- Her worried sister-in-law called police to report her missing
- A police department where she was ended up bringing her to their station
- There, she learned how far she had driven and what time it was
- The cops drove her half-way home to a rest stop where her sister-in-law met her
- They fixed her car, which had a flat tire, then drove it back to her house
An 85-year-old woman got lost on her way to Walmart and ended up driving more than 250 miles over 18 hours before being rescued by police.
Janet Finegan set off for the store from her home in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, on December 23 but got lost on the way and inadvertently drove hundreds of miles.
Eventually she ended up near Pittsburgh, where police recognized her after she was reporting missing by her worried sister-in-law.
Janet Finegan, 85, with the police officers who returned her car to her on Christmas Eve after changing the flat tire
Janet drove from her home near Baltimore more than 250 miles to Pittsburgh
By time she was taken to the police station, it was 5.30am on Christmas Eve.
Her car had a flat tire and she was cold and hungry.
Police drove her half-way home, to a rest stop where her sister-in-law collected her.
Then, they returned her vehicle after fixing the tire.
Heartwarming photographs of them returning the car to Finegan’s home were shared by the Elizabeth Borough Police Department on Wednesday.
Finegan also recounted the moment she realized how far she had driven.
Janet Finegan (left) said she was amazed when she learned how far she had driven. Maureen Fromm (right), her sister-in-law, reported her missing
Janet said she was amazed when the police department not only returned her car to her on Christmas Eve but that they’d changed her tire and given it a tune-up
‘[The police officer] said, “Do you know where you are?”
‘I said, “Not really.” He said, “Well you`re almost near Pittsburgh.” I said, “Pittsburgh!?”
‘I think their mind was blown.
‘What`s this little old lady all by herself doing out in the middle of the night?’ she said in an interview with Fox 43.
Janet’s sister-in-law Maureen Fromm said she was relieved and thankful for the officers’ kindness.
‘We just thank the Lord because so many things could have happened,’ she said.
Janet with the police officers on Tuesday. They also detailed the car’s interior