89-Year-Old Woman Survives 4 Nights in Italian Wilderness, Drinking from Puddles and Using Vegetation as Cover

“She spent many years of her life, particularly when she was young, in the mountains and she is built for it,” Giuseppina Bardelli's son told a local newspaper

An 89-year-old woman survived four nights in the Italian wilderness by drinking puddle water and using vegetation as protection from the elements, according to multiple reports.

The woman, identified as Giuseppina Bardelli by The Times and La Vanguardia, went missing in the area of Passo della Forcora – a mountain pass near Lake Maggiore — on Aug. 21, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s fire and rescue agency, in a post on X.

Bardelli was reportedly searching for mushrooms in a forest accompanied by her son when they were separated moments later, per the outlets. The woman became dizzy, fell 20 feet into a gully, and broke her ribs before regaining consciousness.

Related: Family, Including 3-Month-Old Baby, Rescued After Getting Stranded on Mountain

Bardelli’s son, Sergio, alerted authorities about his missing mother, but first responders couldn’t find her, according to The Times. Her other son, Roberto, later said that his mother occasionally heard the rescuers calling for her but could not get their attention.

However, Bardelli was familiar with the surroundings based on her previous knowledge of the terrain, reported La Vanguardia.

“My mother is like that — you can’t hold her back,” Roberto told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, per The Times. “She spent many years of her life, particularly when she was young, in the mountains and she is built for it.

Related: Man Left Behind by Co-Workers During Office Retreat Survives Night Alone on Colorado Mountain

During her ordeal, Bardelli drank from puddles left over from the rain and assembled a bed of ferns to cover her, Roberto told the outlet.

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He also told Corriere della Sera that a fox approached his mother several times. “They had become almost friends,” Roberto said. “My mom said to her: 'Don't do anything to me.' "

Finally on Aug. 25, , Bardelli was found alive, Vigili del Fuoco announced in a social media post.

“I’ve made a mess,” Bardelli reportedly said after being reunited with her family, per La Vanguardia. She was taken to the hospital with broken ribs and a slightly punctured lung but otherwise in good condition, according to medical professionals.

"The greatest thanks go to the many, even inhabitants of the community, who were close to us and helped us," Roberto told Corriere della Sera.

PEOPLE contacted Vigili del Fuoco on Thursday, Aug. 29, for additional information.

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