Anna Rossi, an Italian woman from Genoa during the late 19th century's economic depression, migrated to Argentina for domestic work to financially support her family in Italy—her husband Pietro Rossi, a hospital manager, and their sons Marco and Tonio. She initially maintained contact through letters and remittances sent via family friend Francisco Meritz, but correspondence ceased after one letter revealed her grave illness. The interruption resulted from stolen letters withheld by a relative in Argentina, obscuring her circumstances.

Concealed in Tucumán, Argentina, and battling health struggles, Anna’s undisclosed situation compelled her son Marco to embark on a demanding journey across Latin America to locate her. He arrived to find her critically ill and requiring surgery. Their emotional reunion revitalized her physically, restoring enough strength for a successful medical procedure.

Following recovery, Anna returned to Genoa with Marco, reuniting the family. Her background frames her as a maternal figure whose absence and vulnerability instigate the central quest, culminating in familial restoration.