Backpacker discharged from hospital after outback ordeal
The 26-year-old, who went missing in the Wheatbelt, was found alive when she was spotted waving down a passing motorist on Friday afternoon.
After she met with police in Beacon — the townsite she was last seen on June 29 — the young traveller was flown to Perth and admitted to Fiona Stanley Hospital dehydrated and traumatised, and 12kg lighter.
She was ravaged by mosquitoes and covered in cuts and bruises.
The hospital confirmed Ms Wilga was discharged on Wednesday afternoon.
It has been reported Ms Wilga may travel back to Germany to see her family.
She had been in a stable condition for a number of days.
On Monday night, Ms Wilga posted photographs from her hospital bed at FSH surrounded by food gifted to her by the German Consulate.
'When you need to gain 12 kilograms back,' the photo caption read.
Police on Saturday said Ms Wilga became 'lost and disorientated' while exploring the Karroun Hill nature reserve.
When trying to look for her way out, she later lost control of her Mitsubishi Delica van.
After spending just one day with her van, which became bogged and 'mechanically unsound' about 36km from any track, Ms Wilga braved the elements for 11 nights on foot.
She survived by drinking water from puddles, sleeping in a cave and eating the minimal food left in her van.
The backpacker ventured 24km west from her vehicle by following the sun, before managing to flag down Tania French, a long-time Wheatbelt resident, as she was driving on Mouroubra Road around Bimbijy.
In a statement, she said she became lost after losing control of her van, hitting her head and wandering off from her bogged vehicle in a state of confusion.
'First and foremost, I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart — a thank you that truly comes from the depths of my soul,' she said in a statement released by WA Police this week.
'For all the incredible supports during the search for me.
'Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it.
'I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here.
'Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter — and in the end, that's what counts most.
'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support.
'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me – and of course, to my rescuer and angel, Tania.'
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Celebrity publicist Max Markson says German backpacker Carolina Wilga could earn 'serious money' if she decides to sell her harrowing survival story to a media outlet. Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after she was miraculously found after spending almost a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. The 26-year-old spent 12 days on foot and survived by drinking water from puddles and sleeping in a cave, before she was spotted by a passing local. Mr Markson described Ms Wilga's remarkable feat as an 'incredible story' and said it would likely attract international media attention. The 26-year-old backpacker was micraculously found on Friday after nearly a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. Credit: WA Police / WA Police 'I think she could definitely sell the story here in Australia, she could definitely sell it in Germany, and she could probably sell it in America, New Zealand and the UK,' he told The West Australian. 'She's definitely worth serious money and she should capitalise it for her sake.' Mr Markson said people were eager to hear Ms Wilga's survival story, but said her first priority was to make a full recovery. 'People want to hear her story, there's no doubt about that . . . she's so young and it will benefit her in the long term,' he said. 'I'm not saying she has to do interviews all the time, but she should capitalise on it — the fact that she's alive (means) she can earn serious money. 'She's got to sort herself out (and feel better) because it's a really hard experience that she's gone through.' Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after being found. Credit: WA POLICE Mr Markson has been behind some of the country's biggest TV deals, including Nine's controversial rumoured $2 million payment to Cleo Smith's family for her story about her 18-day kidnapping ordeal. In a statement earlier this week, Ms Wilga thanked the WA community for their dedicated search efforts. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support,' she said. 'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. 'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. 'My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me – and of course, to my rescuer and angel, Tania.' On Monday night, Ms Wilga posted photographs from her hospital bed surrounded by food gifted to her by the German Consulate. The 26-year-old returned to social media on Monday night. Credit: Unknown / Instagram 'When you need to gain 12 kilograms back,' the photo caption read.
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16 hours ago
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Carolina Wilga: Celebrity publicist says backpacker could earn ‘serious money' for selling survival story
Celebrity publicist Max Markson says German backpacker Carolina Wilga could earn 'serious money' if she decides to sell her harrowing survival story to a media outlet. Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after she was miraculously found after spending almost a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. The 26-year-old spent 12 days on foot and survived by drinking water from puddles and sleeping in a cave, before she was spotted by a passing local. Mr Markson described Ms Wilga's remarkable feat as an 'incredible story' and said it would likely attract international media attention. 'I think she could definitely sell the story here in Australia, she could definitely sell it in Germany, and she could probably sell it in America, New Zealand and the UK,' he told The West Australian. 'She's definitely worth serious money and she should capitalise it for her sake.' Mr Markson said people were eager to hear Ms Wilga's survival story, but said her first priority was to make a full recovery. 'People want to hear her story, there's no doubt about that . . . she's so young and it will benefit her in the long term,' he said. 'I'm not saying she has to do interviews all the time, but she should capitalise on it — the fact that she's alive (means) she can earn serious money. 'She's got to sort herself out (and feel better) because it's a really hard experience that she's gone through.' Mr Markson has been behind some of the country's biggest TV deals, including Nine's controversial rumoured $2 million payment to Cleo Smith's family for her story about her 18-day kidnapping ordeal. In a statement earlier this week, Ms Wilga thanked the WA community for their dedicated search efforts. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support,' she said. 'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. 'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. 'My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me – and of course, to my rescuer and angel, Tania.' On Monday night, Ms Wilga posted photographs from her hospital bed surrounded by food gifted to her by the German Consulate. 'When you need to gain 12 kilograms back,' the photo caption read.
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a day ago
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German backpacker Carolina Wilga released from hospital days after being found alive and ‘ravaged' by mosquitos
German backpacker Carolina Wilga has been discharged from hospital in Perth just days after she was discovered alive and 'ravaged' by mosquitos following 11 nights in the outback. Police announced Ms Wilga, 26, had been discovered 'safe and well' in the Karroun Hill Reserve area of Western Australia's Wheatbelt region on Friday following a major search for the backpacker, who disappeared 12 days prior. After being found, Inspector Martin Glynn had said Ms Wilga was taken to nearby Beacon before she was flown to Perth to be provided medical treatment. "She does have some injuries. She's been ravaged by mosquitoes. She's obviously been through an amazing journey,' Inspector Glynn said the day she was found. WA Police Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo on Saturday then revealed more details about Ms Wilga's condition upon her discovery. 'She was very distressed, obviously exhausted, dehydrated, needed some food… but overall just relieved that she had come across someone and was able to get that help,' Inspector Securo told Weekend Today. The backpacker was released from Perth's Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday. In a police statement issued on her behalf, the 26-year-old had expressed a 'huge thank you' to everyone who had supported the search to locate her. "Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it,' she said on Monday. "I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness and warmth that has been shown to me here." The backpacker posted pictures from hospital on social media, showing herself holding flowers and surrounded by gifts of food she had apparently received from the German Consulate. 'When you need to gain the 12 kilograms back,' she said in the post. Her recovery in hospital follows a major search launched after she disappeared on June 29, when she had last been seen visiting a general store in Beacon. The van she had been driving was found without her in it and Ms Wilga later revealed she had 'lost control' of the vehicle before it rolled down a slope, resulting in her hitting her head which caused her to become disorientated. "In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost," Ms Wilga said. The person who came across the tourist on the road on Friday, local Tania farmer French, immediately knew it was the missing backpacker when she saw her. "I stopped. I went out and gave her a hug, I said: 'Look, everyone has been looking for you.' She couldn't believe it. She didn't realise how long (she had been out there)," Ms French told Seven News. "She said: 'You're my guardian angel' and I said: 'I don't know about that'... But she's just one very lucky person.'
