7-Year-Old Kentucky Plane Crash Survivor Recovering With Grandparents As Fresh Details Emerge

A seven-year-old girl, Sailor Gutzler, who survived a plane crash that killed her family is now being looked after by her grandparents – as incredible details of how she found help emerged.

Mirror UK reports Sailor Gutzler used survival skills passed onto her by her dad as she trekked three-quarters of a mile through thick woodland with broken bones looking for help.

At one point, the brave youngster – whose parents, older sister and cousin all died – even lit a tree branch from the plane’s burning wing in order to guide her through the dense woodland.

Sobbing and bleeding badly from her face and legs, she even had to negotiate a 12-foot ditch in a creek bed.

The little girl eventually walked to Larry Wilkins’ house and told him her family had all died when their light aircraft came down.

The incredible details of her survival come after pictures from the scene emerged for the first time. It was also revealed yesterday that the youngster is now being looked after by her grandparents.

Kentucky State Police Lt. Brent White said the girl tried to wake up her family before leaving the crash site to look for help.

As reported by NBC News, White said. “She is a survivor — she was simply trying to get help for her family.”

The Gutzler family said in a statement: “We are devastated by this loss, but are confident that they rest in God’s loving arms.”

Speaking last night, 71-year-old Larry said he had been watching TV when he heard her faint knock on the door at around 6.30pm local time on Friday.

“She was bleeding pretty bad, her legs were bleeding, her face had a bloody nose. She was barefoot, she only had one sock on,” he told US TV news network NBC.

“She’s a terribly brave little girl, I’ll tell you that. I can’t imagine a seven-year-old doing that.

“She told me that her mom and her dad were dead, and she was in a plane crash, and the plane was upside down.

“She asked if she could stay here. I got a wash cloth and cleaned her up. And of course called 911.”

He added: “I felt so sorry for her, tears came to my eyes. Brave little girl.”

Kentucky State Police said those killed in the crash were her dad Marty Gutzler, 49, her mum Kimberly Gutzler, 45, their daughter Piper Gutzler, nine, and Piper’s cousin, Sierra Walder, 14.

The family, from Nashville in ­Illinois, were heading back there after a holiday in Florida.

Source: Mirror