Somerville Couple Feared Lost In Mt. Everest Avalanche Found Alive

Relatives of a pair of Somerville residents were relieved to learn their near-and-dear thought lost in an avalanche on Mount Everest Saturday were found alive late Sunday.

According to the Boston Globe, 37-year-old Carol Pineda and 38-year-old Michael MacDonald were preparing to hike the mountain just as a 7.8 earthquake triggered avalanches that injured 61 people and killed 17.

The specifics of what happened have yet to be determined, but the Globe reports that Pineda and MacDonald were deemed “accounted for.”

“They’re alive and safe,” Marie MacDonald, Michael’s mother, told the Globe. “That’s good enough.”

Pineda - a pediatrician - works at the Tufts Medical Center’s Floating Hospital for Children. Her supervisor - Richard Durgham - wondered aloud to the Globe if she might’ve been found quicker, had it not been for her dedication to helping others.

“I would be surprised if she’s not knee-deep in the mud right now taking care of people,” he said.

Read the original story here.

Image credit: WHDH-TV, 7 News