They refused and adopted the 'classic' move of turning to leave - knowing Haley would eventually follow. The group had hiked to the Whittaker Point area of the Ozark National Forest in April 29, 2001, when a 'tired and fussy' Haley insisted her grandparents take her down to see a waterfall she had spotted. 'The place I went missing is probably the most rural area between The Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains.' 'I think if I'd been any younger I would have sat down and cried and had I been older I would have known how serious the situation was and not to move,' she shared. ![]() ![]() Haley's tender age made the situation all the more terrifying for those searching for her, however she says that it was actually something of a blessing that she wasn't any older. I was not having a good time, but it never occurred to me that I wouldn't be okay.' 'There were times I didn't want to be out there and the nights were pretty difficult being alone in the dark, with nothing. Haley (seen recently) got lost after she took a wrong path when her grandparents refused to take her down to the waterfall 'From the minute I was lost I had this imaginary friend, Alicia, who kept me calm and on task and was nothing but a positive presence for me while I was missing,' she revealed. Haley also sought help from a rather unusual source: an imaginary friend who she says helped to provide her with 'positive' support while she was alone, even when the situation seemed at its most desperate. 'I've never really been a panicker in extreme life or death situations,' she said, adding of her mental state: 'I'm calm and in problem-solving mode and that's how I felt throughout.' Recalling the experience, Haley explained how she managed to maintain a cool, calm head - even at such a young age - revealing that she has never been the type of person to 'panic' but instead focuses her energies on problem solving. ![]() While was fighting to cope with the horrifying conditions, one of the biggest searches in Arkansas was taking place, with 1,000 people searching for the child. The then-six-year-old even attempted to swim to safety and get a helicopter flying above to notice her. She was completely stranded, without any food or water. She trekked along the Buffalo River hoping it would lead to a bridge and eventually a town – sleeping out in the open.
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