What was meant to be a peaceful road trip through Italy turned into an unexpected solo adventure for one elderly woman when her husband accidentally left her behind on the side of the road.
The twist?
He thought she was still fast asleep in the back of their camper van the whole time.
A Quick Stop Turns into a Major Mix-Up
The couple, both 70 years old, were traveling through Ferrara, Italy, on the evening of May 2 when the husband noticed a technical issue with their camper.
Around 8:30 p.m., he pulled over to inspect the problem.
While he was busy checking under the hood, his wife—who had been napping in the back—woke up and stepped out of the vehicle.
Unaware that she had left the camper, he fixed the issue, climbed back into the driver’s seat, and drove off.
He continued down the road, totally convinced she was still curled up and sleeping soundly behind him.
Alone, in a Robe and Slippers
Left behind on the Strada Statale 309 Romea, the woman was stranded with no phone, no identification, and only her dressing gown and slippers.
She tried yelling after the camper, but it was too late—he was already gone.
Thankfully, other drivers spotted her and stopped to help.
Concerned for her safety, they contacted the local police.
Police Step In to Reunite the Couple
When officers arrived, they listened to her story and got to work locating the husband and the runaway camper.
Meanwhile, the man continued cruising down the road, completely unaware he’d lost his co-pilot.
Finally, around 10:30 p.m.—two hours after the whole ordeal began—police tracked him down and explained the situation.
In shock and clearly panicked, he turned the van around and rushed back toward Porto Garibaldi, where his wife was waiting safely with the officers.
Not the Only One Left Behind
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time someone’s been accidentally abandoned mid-journey.
Back in 2015, a bride in China had her own pre-wedding mishap.
During a traffic jam near a toll booth in Henan province, the bride-to-be hopped out of her limo for a quick bathroom break.
She told the driver she’d catch up with the groom’s car, but things didn’t go to plan.
Both vehicles ended up driving off without her.
She had left her phone behind and was forced to walk along the motorway until she found a traffic officer who helped her call the groom.
He returned to pick her up—but not before hundreds of guests were left waiting at the ceremony.
A Gentle Reminder to Double-Check the Backseat
Both stories might seem funny in hindsight, but they’re a reminder of how easy it is for mix-ups to happen—especially when assumptions take the wheel.
Thankfully, in both cases, no one was harmed and things were resolved with a dash of confusion, a little laughter, and a whole lot of love.