Giusy Versace is by her own admission a “troublemaker”. But this time, he swears, he isn’t entirely to blame. For example: “I haven’t lost the habit of putting on prosthetics at 7 in the morning and taking them off at 1 in the morning.” Not exactly the best for a double-amputee since 2005, after a car accident on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria road which completely severed both her legs. She was 28 years old. She could have legitimately felt sorry for herself. And instead she didn’t waste a single day of those that came later. She was the first Italian athlete to run with a double amputation of the lower limbs, she was the first competitor without legs win an Italian edition of Dancing with the Stars, she jumped from the Campanile of San Marco, she water skied, she rode a scooter, she published two books, she went on a theater tour. Among other things, she is a parliamentarian: she was already a member of parliament, now she is a senator of the Republic. She formed the last parliamentary intergroup for disabilities.
Giusy, first of all how are you? We saw photos of her on Instagram from the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.
“Let’s say, a bit like Fantozzi with the cloud on his head… I forget that I have two fake legs and I always want to do things that not even ordinary mortals do. As my brother says: to stop me, they have to hospitalize me.”
When did it happen?
“September 25th, Monday. I should have left with my mother for Lourdes, for the 120th anniversary of Unitalsi, the association for which I am a volunteer. Appointment in Fiumicino: she from Reggio Calabria and I from Milan”.
And instead?
“I woke up with some kind of orange in a stump. It’s been giving me problems since August. I have already had surgery on my stumps three years ago at the CTO in Milan, because unfortunately I still have splinters from the accident and every now and then they get inflamed. So I sent a photo to my doctor and he told me to go immediately for an X-ray.”
This is how it ended at Gemelli.
“Yes, and the trolley to Lourdes was used for the hospital stay. My heroic mother stopped by my house in Rome to pick up some other things and then she took refuge with me. They operated on me on Thursday. Yesterday (Monday, ed.) my brother came to pick me up and took me back to Milan. Mum is here to help me: without her I couldn’t do anything.”
And Lourdes?
“I will return as soon as possible, to say thank you once again. Our Lady did not want me to leave. Think about the blessing of having my mother with me.”
– Giusy Versace, former Paralympic athlete
When was your commitment to Unitalsi born?
«In 2006, a year after the accident. I went as a pilgrim. Since I’m not a lizard, I know that my legs won’t grow back, so I didn’t want a miracle, but just to say thank you: I was still alive. There I finally cried and asked out loud: why me? But I immediately made the change of perspective: why not me? Then, feeling useless, I asked the person responsible for Calabria, Amelia Mazzitelli, who unfortunately no longer exists, to be able to help the Unitalsi volunteers.”
What did you make her do?
“He assigned me to the refectory. I had to prepare coffee, spread Nutella on toast, play cards with the sick. I felt like I hadn’t done anything, but in the end these guys thanked me for the time, the smile, the jokes. So I understood the value of what I had done and since then I haven’t missed a year.”
Will he calm down now?
“The doctors bullshitted me. They told me I have to live part time. How do you do it?».
Enjoy your boyfriend! Is he still the same, Antonio Magra?
“And who gives up on him? Holy now! Where can I find another one like him? I’m adrenaline-filled, I throw myself into things, I’d quit someone like that straight away. I expect it for days.”
Why don’t you get married?
«He lives in Catania and I in Milan, maybe that’s why we’re still together. We have never asked ourselves the problem, it has never been the priority. And I’ve never felt the biological clock, I’m too busy living, I don’t like planning things. But, of course, never say never.”
How long will he return to the Senate?
«I navigate by sight: I’m trying to make friends with patience again, that old friend I haven’t seen in a long time. I was moved to see all the messages of affection that I received, I haven’t finished reading them yet.”
Did the three policemen who helped her on the motorway 18 years ago also write to you?
“Yes. They told me: but will you stop making trouble?
How long will he recover?
“I have a nice wound, I don’t know when I’ll be able to put the prosthesis back on. I’m afraid I may have to do it again too. Maybe in a month, a month and a half.”
Does he promise to slow down?
“Eh, I have to! I have to learn to listen to my body more. But I can’t promise to pull the handbrake. Life is too beautiful!».
2023-10-03 20:59:56
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