Italian grandmother survives in wilderness by drinking rainwater and ‘talking to a fox’

An 88-year-old Italian woman who got lost in a forest while looking for mushrooms survived for four days by drinking rainwater from puddles, reciting the rosary and talking to a fox.

Giuseppina Bardelli ventured into the mountains near her home in the village of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca, on the border with Switzerland, taking a path that she had walked many times before. She was with her 57-year-old son, Sergio, but they became separated in the woods.

The grandmother lost her way, wandering further into the forest.

She then slipped and fell about 6m, tumbling into a thicket of ferns and injuring herself. The fall broke a couple of her ribs and slightly perforated a lung, her family said.

Sergio had raised the alarm and a huge search involving drones, a helicopter, volunteers and police was launched.

Curious fox became her friend

“She lost her orientation, and she wandered off the path that she has known for more than 40 years,” Roberto, her other son, said.

She went missing last Wednesday, August 21, and it was not until four days later that she was found by rescuers.

She is now recovering in hospital. Her ordeal was recounted by her family.

Italian woman Giuseppina Bardelli used her past experience hiking and climbing to stay alive in the wilderness.

“She drank rainwater that she found in puddles,” Roberto told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

“At night she slept under trees, using vegetation to cover herself.”

She also befriended a wild fox that came sniffing around her out of curiosity.

“The fox approached her several times. They sort of became friends. And every evening she recited the rosary. She knew that every day could be her last,” her son said.

Bardelli appears not to have been frightened by her four days alone in the woods. Her family says she drew on her past experience hiking and climbing as a member of the Italian Alpine Club.

When she was finally discovered and brought to safety, her family were hugely relieved.

“It was an indescribable feeling,” Roberto said. “When I saw the Carabinieri come towards me, I knew that something had happened. When they said that she was alive, the joy was immense.

“Huge thanks go to the many people who helped us. She’s OK now.”