Angelo Licheri, the Sardinian who had tried to save Alfredino Rampi, died

Angelo Licheri died. The man, originally from Gavoi, had lowered himself into the well of Vermicino to try to save Alfredino Rampi, the child who fell into the deep hole in 1981.

77 years old, he was hospitalized in a clinic in Nettuno.

Many, after the story, had begun to call him "hero", a term which he had always refused, however, saying rather that he had performed an act of "altruism".

He had repeatedly retraced those dramatic moments in these decades. At the time he was a very thin typographer, small in stature and precisely because of these characteristics he was considered suitable to slip into the well for 60 meters in order to harness Alfredino and pull him out. Authorized, he had been lowered into the tunnel. The technique was to be able to overcome the various obstructions and for this he was pulled up a few meters and then suddenly dropped. Numerous wounds he had reported on the body, but nothing had stopped him. He had managed to get close to the child, had talked to him but he was now gasping. Licheri made many attempts to grab Alfredo by staying upside down for 45 minutes (25 were those considered as the maximum safety threshold), then he had to give up, he had sent him a kiss and had returned to the surface.

SOLINAS - A message of condolence was issued by the President of the Region. Christian Solinas defines Licheri "a humble and generous man, the hero next door, in whom the hope of the whole of Italy to see Alfredino Rampi safe and sound again".

“His example of altruism and heroic generosity - adds the governor - makes us proud as Sardinians and will remain alive in our hearts, as well as the memory of the little victim of the tragedy. I am sure that Alfredino welcomed him into heaven, with that embrace that unfortunately, that day, was not possible ".

(Unioneonline / ss)