• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

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

Home> News> World News

Updated 07:33 30 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 07:29 30 Aug 2024 GMT+1

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

She went missing last week, but turned up safe

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

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.

Advert

The 89-year-old was found alive after falling and breaking her ribs (Vigili del Fuoco/X)
The 89-year-old was found alive after falling and breaking her ribs (Vigili del Fuoco/X)

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."

Advert

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.


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.

Advert

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."

Advert

She's now recovering in hospital.

Featured Image Credit: Vigili del Fuoco/X

Topics: World News

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Five-year-old girl 'lucky to be alive' after being swallowed by manhole while playing in rain
  • Backpacker found alive after being completely lost for 12 days in the Australian Outback
  • Incredible way man managed to survive after being stranded for 438 days at sea with no food or water
  • Man who survived six weeks lost at sea after killer whale attack describes what he had to eat to stay alive

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • Win McNamee/Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Melania Trump ‘body double’ conspiracy sparked over bizarre meeting with Royal Family

    Some social media users are convinced that Melania didn't visit the UK with Donald Trump

    News
  • YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
    an hour ago

    People spot King Charles’ reaction to Donald Trump’s brutal ‘final UK visit’ comment

    Trump has split opinion with the strange comment

    News
  • Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    French president's wife to give court 'scientific evidence' she's a woman amid lawsuit

    Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are levying a case against US political influencer Candace Owens

    News
  • Michael Le Brecht/Disney via Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    Broadcaster releases statement over removing Jimmy Kimmel and the 'meaningful' way he can get back on air

    The TV host has been suspended indefinitely following his comments about the man who fatally shot Charlie Kirk

    News