New Jersey hiker recounts being rescued by 'Modern Family' actress on vacation

ORADELL, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A woman rescued by "Modern Family" actress Julie Bowen after she fainted during a hike is resting at home and recounting the rescue.

Minnie John, who lives in New Jersey, and her family recently took a trip to Utah and visited the Arches National Park on Aug. 2.

After making it to the top around 7 p.m., John remembers feeling lightheaded and dehydrated. She felt like she was going to faint so she sat on a rock and told her husband and son to keep going.

The last thing she remembers is two women coming to her rescue.

She ended up fainting and hitting her nose on a rock and passing out.

"I realize I'm lying down and I could hear someone talking to me and sort of directing others, asking me questions, but calming me down, saying 'ma'am, ma'am, do you hear me?'" John said.

That voice would be familiar to any "Modern Family" fan -- it was the voice of Claire Dunphy, played by Bowen.

Bowen and her sister, UC San Fran Dr. Annie Luetkemeyer, rendered aid and gave her electrolytes, pretzels and medicine.

"I opened my eyes and she was in front of me, Annie her sister was to my left, and I see her again, she's blonde and I'm thinking, I feel like I know you, do I know you, and she just smiled and I'm like are you famous or something?" John said. "Then Annie said 'Modern Family' and I'm like of course!"

They also helped John contact her husband and son who had gone ahead to summit the trail.

"I got a text saying 'Hey is this Brandon? Your mother has fainted, she landed on her face, but don't worry there's a doctor on standby," son Brandon John said.

The hiker and her son both feel it was divine intervention that put the star and her physician sister directly on their path.

"Thank you for being where you were because I just feel like it was God's doing that she was there," Brandon said.

John said she learned an important lesson in being both mentally and physically prepared for a hot summer hike.

Dr. Luetkemeyer is very accomplished in both HIV and recently COVID research.

John shared her story on Facebook and called the two "awesome human beings":