Franco Zampedri died twenty years after the accident that left him in a vegetative state. The former university technician from Pergine (Trent) was 33 years old when he had to say goodbye to his passions, music (he played the trumpet), his favorite team (a huge fan of the Juventus), his girlfriend Cristina Bertoldi. That July 4, 2004, Franco was returning home after meeting his partner with whom he would soon live in the apartment they had purchased together in Sant’Orsola.
The accident
While driving in Canezza, Zampedri lost control of the vehicle on a sharp bend, ending up in the garden of a house below the road. The impact against the steering wheel was devastating and immediately put him into a coma, from which he would never wake up again. The late help contributed to irreversible brain damage, leaving Zampedri in poor health for the rest of his life. Already marked by the loss of his mother Carmela Berlanda in 1993, who died during surgery, Franco lived years of profound pain, incessantly supported by his father Goffredo.
The latter hoped until the end that his son could one day recover: «With the little houses I made him listen to the music of the Viarago band in the room, where he played the trumpet, and he seemed to react to the stimuli but in the end there was no there has been no sign of awakening,” he told Corriere della Sera.
The passion for Juventus
Franco’s passion for Juventus and in particular for former captain Alessandro Del Piero was well known. Del Piero himself, in 2007, left a summer retreat in Pinzolo to visit Franco, demonstrating great humanity and support for the family.
Last days
In recent months, Franco’s health had deteriorated significantly, until he died of cardiac arrest on the morning of April 18. Doctor Maria Teresa Mattivi, who assisted him in recent years, communicated the sad news to her father, recognizing the affection and care that all the staff had always reserved for Franco. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday 21 April at 2.30 pm in Virago.
Last update: Saturday 20 April 2024, 07:37
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