Miracle on the Mountain: A True Tale of Faith and Survival

Three years ago, when U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel Mike Couillard and his 10-year-old son, Matthew, skied into a blizzard atop Kartalkaya Mountain in Turkey (where Couillard was stationed), they plunged themselves and their family into an extreme test of their faith in God, and were forced to the limits of human endurance. This account of the crisis shuttles from Couillard's intense narrative of being stranded, to his wife's prayer-filled vigil at their home in Ankara, to details of the extensive search efforts organized by both the Turkish and American governments. As frostbite and starvation threaten the lost pair and hope diminishes in every quarter, tension mounts, despite a certain sketchiness in the coverage of the stranded skiers (little is mentioned of the hunger they must have felt, for example). But the narrative (and the reader) make it through the rough spots to celebrate the strength and intelligence of Couillard and his son, as well as that of the courageous men who continued to search for them despite sinking hopes and terrible odds. This adventure tale with a spiritual spin seems just right for a TV movie. (Apr.)