Despite searches by police and volunteers at the Deborah Heart and Lung Center where she worked, Buckland wasn't found until nearly 36 hours later by James Early.
"I was in these woods for 30 something years, you know where all the little nooks and crannies are," said Early.
Early knows the wooded area, which is actually the property of the Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst Joint Military Base.
He told Action News that his gut instinct told him to search several abandoned wells in the area. During his search, he discovered Buckland.
"I was trying to calm her down. When I found her she was a little frazzled," said Early.
After alerting authorities, Buckland was lifted by rescue workers and rushed to the hospital.
Buckland told police she walked through the wooded area to avoid troublemakers in her neighborhood that were giving her a hard time.
Buckland's father thanks all who joined in the search and of course Early, who found her before the elements claimed her life.
"I told him that he was my hero, and he said he would do it for anybody," said John Buckland.
Buckland remains in a Trenton hospital, recovering from surgery on both legs which were shattered during the fall.
