A grandma survived four nights lost in the Alps by befriending a fox and drinking rainwater.
Giuseppina Bardelli, 89, was foraging for mushrooms on August 21 when she became dizzy and tumbled 20ft into a gully around Monterecchio.
Her son, Sergio, raised the alarm his mum was missing and summoned helicopters and drones to help with the search.
It took four nights to find the grandmother who remained in the gully and lived off of puddle water.
Her other son Roberto told Corriere della Sera newspaper: ‘She drank rainwater in puddles, she slept under trees, using vegetation for cover.’
She also became good friends with a wild fox who approached her out of curiosity.
Roberto said: ‘A fox approached her several times. They sort of became friends. Every evening she recited the rosary. She knew every day could be her last.’
Rescuers said she was particularly difficult to find as the vegetation she was surrounded by was so tall.
Giuseppina’s family said her past experience as a member of the Italian Alpine Club helped her survival skills.
Silvio Rizzelli, a firefighter who co-ordinated the search, 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.’
Rescuers tried to put a neck brace on the grandmother, fearing she was seriously injured.
But instead Giuseppina said: ‘Now you’re trying to kill me.’
After learning she had been found, the family ‘burst into tears’, with Roberto describing the joy as ‘immense’.
He said: ‘It was an indescribable feeling. 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.’
She is now recovering in hospital but does not appear to be frightened.
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