“You were taken from us too quickly: we still need you!” Chiara, the eldest daughter of Christophe Dominici, did not have the strength to speak at the funeral of the former winger, buried this Friday in Hyères (Var). It was Father Christian’s tenor voice that moved the crowd gathered in the Saint-Louis church. The text of Chiara, aged 14, surprised the assembly by recounting the first meal cooked by her father: “You cooked us spaghetti in the sand! You transmitted your grain of madness to Mya. You built everything for us, you will be missed. This father, who will become his “guardian angel”, died on November 24 at the age of 48.
As during the first ceremony which took place on Wednesday in Boulogne in the Paris region, Christophe Dominici’s other family, that of rugby, was also present. The big guys piled up with difficulty on the pews of the church, before paying Domi a spontaneous tribute when they came out of the coffin. While the sound system broadcast “I will survive”, the anthem of the Stade Français, his former teammates gradually joined around the coffin, grasping firmly by the shoulders. Franck Comba, Yann Delaigue, Pierre Trémouille, Thierry Louvet, Jean-Christophe Repon, Marc de Rougemont or Léon Loppy were there. The former president of the Stade Français Max Guazzini and Bernard Laporte, former manager of the Parisian club, joined them in this poignant melee.
The president of the French Rugby Federation spoke first, in the church. Bernard Laporte described Christophe Dominici as “a fighter who was walking a path of permanent struggle. “
“Christophe leaves at the dawn of life”
In this assembly dressed in black, a few pink and blue ties and a RC Toulon tracksuit brought touches of color. The white mop and the legendary red headband of Daniel Herrero too. “Christophe leaves at the dawn of life, saddened the former third row. He had the strange fire of wild animals who love. He could go into great despair as in flamboyance. The next moment could be a wonder as well as a disaster. “
PODCAST. Christophe Dominici: the battered life of a rugby star
“What about God in all of this?” Christophe Dominici regularly asked himself the question, said Father Marc de Saint-Sernin in his homily. This first-class rugby player, chaplain of the pastoral care of the sporting world and of rugby, recounted a conversation with Christophe Dominici, one day after a fiesta, in Val-Thorens, during the Tournament of six stations: evil, smiled the abbot. Shamelessly, we spoke of the good Lord. “
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Jeannot Dominici confided to the priest that a father who has lost his two children can no longer believe in God. Because Christophe Dominici will rest alongside his big sister, Pascale, who died at the age of 24 in a road accident. A few trees, lots of bouquets and visits will keep them company.
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