It sounds like someone's worst nightmare, but it's actually a true story. A mystery woman was found sitting on rocks on a Croatian island, but she was unable to figure out who she is or how she got there. The island she was on, Krk, is a remote island that's also a popular tourist destination.
Luckily, this story has a happy ending.
The woman had some minor bruises and cuts when she was found. Authorities pegged her as being in her 60s. She was found with shoulder-length hair and stood around 5 feet, 4 inches tall.
While she spoke English, she — along with those who discovered her — were quite puzzled at the situation.
"She speaks English, but she does not remember her identity," police officers told CNN. "She is currently located in hospital and is in stable condition." Unfortunately, the woman had no identifying information on her, but authorities did find a purse nearby.
The purse was found about 500 meters (1,640 feet) away, but it didn't contain any clues. The woman was questioned for roughly a week, but it was only when the news hit the internet that she was finally identified. It's yet another reminder of how powerful the internet can be in connecting us.
Since the case was so mystifying, plenty of people tried their hardest to figure out where she came from. And eventually, she was identified as Daniela Adamcova. "The first of several reports leading to the identification of the woman found was received by police on September 20, in the evening," wrote the Croatian police in a statement. "As it appeared from what was submitted that the found female person could be a citizen of Slovakia, the assistance of the Slovak police was requested through international police cooperation."
"Thanks to good cooperation and appreciating that it was a matter of urgency, a response was received very quickly from the Slovak police, which confirmed that the woman was identified as a Slovak citizen, aged 57, through a photograph," the statement continued. "The police would like to thank the citizens, from the country and abroad, domestic and foreign media, as well as their colleagues from Slovakia, for their help and cooperation, who contributed to establishing the identity of the found woman."
So, who is Daniela Adamcova? According to the Times, she's a jewelry maker who reportedly once made pieces for stars like Diana Ross and Brigitte Bardot. She was identified as being Slovakian but has spent large parts of her life between the United States and Ireland.
It's believed that Daniela — who often goes by Dana — was in the area for days. It's almost miraculous she survived, as the area she was located in is known for its bear population. And, according to Croatia's mountain rescue service, she was in rough shape when she was initially found.
"Down on the shore, we found a woman with minor injuries, she also had a few scratches and was extremely dehydrated and emaciated," officials said, per CNN. "She could barely take a few sips of water. We placed her on a stretcher because she was unable to walk, and transported her to the hospital."
One of the people who initially recognized Daniela was Nina Smidt, who lives in Los Angeles. She had worked with Daniela through a nonprofit for the homeless back in 2015. Daniela apparently lived in the area rent-free, thanks to landlord Tyler Madsen. Tyler reportedly knew that Daniela was saving up all the money she could to live a better life in Ireland.
Nina said that she recognized Daniela immediately after her picture started circulating. It must have been odd spotting someone who was, just the other day, a mystery to the world. "I recognized the woman in the photo immediately," she told the Daily Beast.
Nina immediately texted Tyler to further confirm. Tyler reportedly hadn't seen Daniela since she left for Ireland in 2015, but he knew immediately that it was her. When her identity was confirmed, a profile of Daniela was found that discussed her jewelry making and background story. She reportedly left Slovakia in 1984 to try to make a better life for herself in America.
Her passion for jewelry started when she enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Design and Trade in Santa Monica. She felt inspired to make her own unique pieces and was good at her craft. At one point, she dated a producer, which allowed her jewelry to be featured in movies.
While her identity has been revealed, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the case. It's unclear how she ended up in Krk — and why nobody she knew had reported her missing. But right now, she's in the hospital and will later be released to social services once she has recovered from this strange incident.
