A British backpacker who was robbed and left homeless in Peru has been rescued—and her emotional first words have been revealed.
32-year-old Hannah Almond had been living under a bridge in Cusco after she was violently attacked and had all her belongings, including her passport, burned by a group of locals. She had traveled to Peru in March to attend a yoga retreat.
With no money, no ID, and declining mental health, Hannah ended up on the streets, relying on borrowed phones to contact loved ones. Despite several offers of help, she had refused support for weeks.
Now, after a friend flew to Peru to track her down, Hannah is finally safe. Her friend Matti shared the moment they reunited in Cusco’s main square.
“She wrapped her arms around me and said, ‘I love you,’” Matti said.
The pair sat and talked about home while drinking water. Though she didn’t want to eat, Hannah shared music that reminded them of their friends in Leeds.
Matti said Hannah was still wearing the same Superman pyjamas and a Friends t-shirt she had been gifted after the robbery. She has since moved to the home of another friend who lives an hour outside the city and is now in contact with her family.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover Hannah’s medical and psychological treatment so she can safely return to the UK.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed they are providing support and are in contact with her family and local authorities.
Though Hannah has said little about her ordeal, her friends hope that with time and care, she will recover both physically and emotionally.
