A tragic event shook the nearby community of Santeramo in Colle last Saturday, when the young Giuseppe Cacciapaglia, just 16 years old, was fatally struck by lightning while he was on the family farm. Today, Monday 20 May, city mourning was proclaimed to pay homage to the boy during his funeral, celebrated in an atmosphere of deep emotion and pain.
Giuseppe was known for his dedication to agricultural work, which he carried out with love and commitment, helping his parents. His day was divided between school in Altamura, where he attended the “Nervi-Galilei” Technical Institute, and his passion for football, which he practiced from an early age with the local team, Santeramo Calcio.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday afternoon, when the young man had just relieved his mother to look after the animals in the pouring rain. A few minutes later, lightning struck the boy, who had taken shelter with an umbrella. His father immediately helped him, but found him lifeless on the ground, with his umbrella marked by the electric shock. Despite resuscitation attempts, when 118 arrived it was only possible to confirm that he had died due to cardiac arrest due to electrocution.
The mayor of Altamura, Vitantonio Petronella, also expressed his message of condolence:
Losing your life, at just 17 years old, is a tragedy that no one will ever understand. I express my heartfelt condolences to the family of Giuseppe, a young student from San Termo, who attended the ITT Nervi-Galilei in Altamura.
His smile, his determination and dedication to work will remain in the hearts of those who knew him. A big hug to those close to him!
Deep emotion also from the words of Prof. Michele Genco, the young man’s professor, published on the social page of the “Nervi-Galilei” Technical Institute – Altamura:
Dear friends, we are all here not to say goodbye to our dear Giuseppe but just hello dear Giuseppe, we love you.
I would like to be silent, in this moment, not say anything, because it is you Giuseppe who speaks, here among us, among our memories and we are certain that the first thing you will tell us is “life never ends!”
We firmly believe this: Giuseppe, in these few years spent together you taught us how much you loved life, your family, sport, especially football, and we are certain that you have been summoned to Heaven for a match in honor of the life that never will turn off. Giuseppe plays, runs, attacks and scores goals for us, forever, you who have been for us teachers and class friends a hymn to life, to joy, which nothing and nothing will ever be able to extinguish.
You who, with your silence, your shyness, but also your tenacity not to give up in the face of difficulties, managed to combine study, sport, work and love for your family, class friends and friends of your team of football, which you regularly exalted with the narratives of your small football exploits.
A question now repeats itself in our minds, in our hearts and does not seem to find the right answers: “Why, of all people, Giuseppe?”. That why said between tears, sobs, hugs and it seems to have no answer!
Sorry if we didn’t see the time spent with you as an important, unique, unrepeatable time that enriches the heart and leaves marks on the soul. Now our hearts have wounds that will heal over time, but the scars will remain forever like your memory.
The blood that flows in our hearts, mixed with the tears and memories, with the sacrifice of daily work, with the enthusiasm of living with the kids, will continue to beat in unison with your memory dear Giuseppe because you are with us.
Thanks also to you dear parents because you taught Giuseppe that being simple, honest, constant, loyal, hard-working is what is fundamental in being a man.
Dear Giuseppe, I make my own the words of your dear classmates, who remember you like this: “In class you were always close to those who needed it, to those who asked you for a hand you were always ready to encourage with your smile, with your sincere friendship. At this moment, a thousand memories touch us that we will not erase with your absence. You will never leave us, we will all be one class group, close, because our bonds overcome the barriers of time and distance. And every time we touch a ball we will think of you, your friendship, your smile and your enthusiasm.”
Hello Joseph. Lover of life, we love you!
Monday 20 May 2024
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