Original: It is based on the true story of Juana Maria, the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island", a Nicoleño Indian left alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island, one of the Channel Islands, off the California coast before being "rescued" in 1853.
Simplified: It is based on the true story of Juana Maria, the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas", a Native American woman left alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island off the California coast before being rescued in 1853.