Man Who Found Nadia Bloom: "God Sent Me"
The man who found a girl lost in a Florida swamp said divine intervention helped him locate the 11-year-old who had been missing for four days.
"God sent me and pointed me directly to her," James King told CBS' "The Early Show" Wednesday.
Nadia Bloom disappeared last week into an alligator-infested swamp less than a mile from her family's Winter Springs home.
King said he had searched for Nadia over the weekend and tried a new spot Tuesday morning. He began calling her name and suddenly, Nadia called out. "I was yelling her name, then I hear 'What?'"
After calling 911, Bloom, who has an autism-related disorder called Asperger syndrome, was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, including a slew of mosquito bites.
Photos: Nadia Bloom Found Alive
"She was in remarkably good shape," King, who attends a local church with Bloom's family, said. It was amazing. She's an encouragement to a lot of people.
Winter Springs Police Chief Kevin Brunelle said he did not believe this was a case of anything other than a young girl getting lost.
"James is an absolute hero. He did a good thing," Brunelle said.
Authorities began searching for her in wooded areas near Lake Jesup, one of the most alligator-filled lakes in central Florida. The fifth-grader was last seen riding her bike and authorities became alarmed when they found it and her helmet in her neighborhood. She did have a backpack with her.
It took nearly two hours for rescuers to carry Nadia out of the thick brush and swamp.
"It all came so fast and it just shows the compassion of the human spirit. It should give everybody encouragement," Jeff Bloom said after rescue crews lifted her into an ambulance.
When asked how he felt, Bloom said: "I can't even describe it. Let's give the glory to God."
During the 911 call, King asked Nadia if he could take her photo, "so you can show how God protected you."
"Sure!" Nadia replied.
King then unfurled toilet paper around a tree in an attempt to draw attention to where they were.
Using cell phone signals and GPS coordinates, authorities found them in the swamp.