Trapped since Friday, local weatherman had no idea storm was over, streets clear.

Unaware of the passing of two recent weather systems, Chesley McNeil sat in his white Chevy Cobalt for nearly 130 hours, waiting for help that would free him from the snow that buried his vehicle. That help would eventually come in the form of a 17 year old Target cart pusher. McNeil is at ECMC suffering from hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, and low self-esteem. His relocation to a new position at an Atlanta news station is on hold, pending his recovery and reevaluation by the station manager.

According to his wife, McNeil went out Christmas shopping at about 2:30 on Friday afternoon, at the height of the first snowstorm. He purchased some children’s gifts, and in what may have saved his life, a Snuggie. The Snuggie, a full body blanket with sleeves, is this year’s most popular gift. Rescue workers report that McNeil returned to his car, started it, and then tried the Snuggie on. He apparently fell asleep, and the Cobalt was buried by plows clearing the parking lot.

It was a full 16 hours after last seeing her husband that his wife received a call from his cell phone. She reported to the Ruse that he said to her, either, ‘I’m trapped in the Cobalt’, or ‘I’m having a lap dance’. Chesley’s lips have been sewn shut since a wind powered shaving device he invented damaged his face, so she was unsure what to think of the call.

McNeil survived by melting snow to drink, and eating three containers of tic-tacs from the glove compartment. He passed the time playing Chutes and Ladders and Boggle, two of the gifts he had purchased. At what must have been a low point, McNeil scraped a message into the frost on the window. It read, ‘Today’s Forecast: Chesley, with a 100% chance of Love”. Several text messages were obtained from McNeil’s phone, including one to his father. “i am 2 a dr”, and his co-workers at channel 2, “surprzd like oct storm”.

McNeil was found by Dominic Botti, who was retrieving carts from the Target parking lot. He saw the fender of McNeil’s car and dug his way to the passenger door handle. McNeil’s body fell out of the car when Botti opened the door.

“He looked like he does on TV, but a lot greyer.” Botti said.

McNeil is expected to have a full recovery, though he may not regain full use of his fingers, feet, elbows and facial muscles. “We hope to see that smile hobble into the studio one more time”, said Channel 2 meteorologist Andy Parker. “We’re just happy he’s ok. Half a scarred smile is better than none.”