I may have a solution, if the 2 shift links are like in other japanese trucks they are 2 opposing F's. In 2wd you have the right f (the one facing the wrong way) positioned lower (or more backwards) than the other. When you push the stick you pull the F forward and align it with the other one, and with a slight sideway's movement you move the end of the shifter into the other F (the one facing the right way) and continue pushing that one forward as you go into N and then 4Lo.
In some cases like in my old toyota things were a bit more worn out than they should giving the F's a bit of a freeplay thus giving me the chance of throwing the shifter out of one F and in front of the other leaving me stranded in either N or 4H. Only thing to do was ripping the shifter assembly off and re-aligning the F's with a big screwdriver and put it all back together with the shifter in the right place.
If your girlfriend did some shift-on-the-fly female style the T-case could in theory not engage Low range and bang the forks back into N and the shifter somwhere else. It shouldn't have a 2" play in it making me think the shifter might be in the wrong place.
I'd pull the shifter and check it out before you break it off by puting those 1000lb legs into action.

If I'm right then with the 2 F's aligned it should be in 4Hi and the shifter should go in the square hole they make.