He wanted to participate in
the New York Marathon
, Franco, even though he was a
quadriplegic
, even if he could not do it with his legs.
He had wanted to do it for years but then Covid, the canceled races, changed all the plans.
But fate, and above all the will, won.
The New York marathon, thanks to
his brother Dario
, who pushed him in a wheelchair for
42 km and 195 meters
, he managed to run it a few days ago, last
November 6th
.
Yesterday evening Franco died
but, writes his brother, "what makes me serene is that heaven wanted to give you, a few days before your end, your long-awaited dream".
Franco was 52 years old
, he was from
Bellizzi
, a municipality in the province of
Salerno
, and was quadriplegic from birth.
The idea, to his brother Dario, was born precisely during the months of quarantine for
Covid
.
As the days went by, he realized that something was wrong.
Because Franco suffered the quarantine more than anyone else, locked up at home.
And so Dario decided to involve as many people as possible to allow his brother to
realize his greatest dream: racing
.
"I don't want to live with the regret of 'if I had tried, if I had committed myself' - he said at the time on the
Sognoattivi
page - so I rolled up my sleeves to get ready to make Franco's greatest wish come true. I will allow him to travel, to take the plane and
run on my own feet
".
That's how he did it: two years of training, sacrifices, always together, he and Franco.
Until November 6th when their happiness broke out in
New York.
Many supported them, cheered on them.
Worldwide.
The photos, the collection of the bibs, the meeting with the
Italian Consul
.
Everything was perfect, especially those
42km and 195 meters
.
"The message that Franco wanted to send was not to give up in the face of difficulties.
The last 2-3 kilometers he pushed me
, he didn't make me give up", said Dario at the end of the marathon.
And it was always Dario who wrote his farewell to his inseparable brother on Facebook.
"I can't find words to describe the emptiness you leave in each of us, but, allow me, the emptiness in me is immense because in the last two years we have been more united than ever: you the mind,
I your legs
.
Our workouts, the little trips to be able to participate in the various marathons, the laughter, the interviews, the photographs - wrote Dario - My brother, you left happy to have spent some wonderful days.
You left in all of us the desire to never give up.
You will always be with me, you will guide me and you will give me the strength to carry on the active dream of many other guys who have taken inspiration from your hard head.
I love you Franco". And there are many, many messages of pain that friends and enthusiasts are dedicating to Franco on social networks in these hours. Some call him
'hardheaded'
, some write
'now you can finally run'.
But everyone, truly everyone, thanks him for this: "For showing us that when you don't give up, dreams can come true".