Incredible way 89-year-old grandma survived being lost in the Alps for five days alone

An 89-year-old Italian grandmother survived being lost in the Alps for five days after a nasty fall resulted in her breaking her ribs.

According to Italian media, Giuseppina Bardelli had gone out with her son to look for mushrooms in a forest around Passa della Forcora, a mountain pass near Lake Maggiore.

She'd gone missing on 21 August while out in the forest and becoming separated from her son, and since being found, said she'd felt dizzy and fallen 20 feet into a gully where she broke her ribs.

Her son Sergio reported her missing, but rescue teams were unable to find her and it wasn't until 25 August that she had managed to be discovered and taken to hospital.

Another of her sons, Roberto, said that Giuseppina occasionally heard rescuers nearby calling out to her but she couldn't get their attention.

Familiar with the area, the 89-year-old was able to fashion herself a bed and cover out of vegetation and drink from puddles to stay hydrated during her ordeal.

"My mother is like that — you can’t hold her back," Roberto told Corriere della Serra

"She spent many years of her life, particularly when she was young, in the mountains and she is built for it."

He also said that Giuseppina had been approached by a fox several times during those days she was missing, and claimed that 'they had almost become friends'.

Roberto said that his mother had told the fox 'don't do anything to me', and the animal seemed willing to listen.

Dopo 4 giorni di ricerche è stata ritrovata in vita, da una squadra di soccorso mista tra cui #vigilidelfuoco, l'anziana 89enne dispersa dal 21 agosto nell'area del Passo della Forcora, territorio di Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca#Varese #25agosto pic.twitter.com/oGjWnjT9Cn

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 25, 2024

After being out in the Alps for five days and four days of search efforts, fire and rescue service Vigili del Fuoco were able to confirm the good news on 25 August that the 89-year-old had been found.

They wrote on X: "After 4 days of searching, the 89-year-old woman who had been missing since August 21st in the Passo della Forcora area, in the territory of Maccagno con Pino and Veddasca, was found alive by a mixed rescue team including Vigili del Fuoco."

According to Metro, firefighter Silvio Rizzelli co-ordinated the search and explained why it took time to find her.

He said: "She was hidden in a deep gully, full of tall vegetation. She could not see us and we could not see her

"The breakthrough came on Sunday morning, as rescuers were considering giving up the search.

"After finding her, my men reported Ms Bardelli was tired but totally lucid. It was great news and surprising that a person of her age could resist."

She's now recovering in hospital.