Alex Zanardi's coffin, bearing his white casket, arrived at 11 a.m. at the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua for the funeral. Accompanying the coffin were his wife, Daniela, and his son, Niccolò , who, with clasped hands in thanks, greeted the small crowd that gathered outside the basilica in Prato della Valle in the rain. Inside, over 2,000 people filled the church starting at 9 a.m. this morning. Among those in attendance were singer Gianni Morandi, Bebe Vio , who arrived with former CONI president Giovanni Malagò, Alberto Tomba , and the mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore.

Upon arrival at Prato della Valle, there was a long round of applause, repeated several times in the church, where the coffin was preceded by a long procession opened by the Obiettivo3 athletes and closed by Zanardi's family.

Also attending the church were the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi , Giovanni Malagò , the President of Veneto Alberto Stefani and the President of the Veneto Regional Council, Luca Zaia .

"Even in death, Alex will continue to talk about goals," said Father Marco Pozza in his homily. "I'm sorry for his death," he continued. "He thought he'd bought it, but this time, too, he didn't get it right. He took the body, but the soul escaped. In the fast lane, he slipped into the flesh and stories of the kids from Obiettivo3."

Don Pozza remembered Zanardi as a man "who knew how to use the subjunctive, an open door." And today, "those who love the indicative mourn the athlete; those who have the courage to use the subjunctive mourn the man and say thank you." He finally imagined Zanardi's encounter with God: "He will look the Lord in the face and won't know what to say. And he will say to him, 'But Zanardi from Castel Maggiore...'" A quote from the title of the Bologna champion's autobiography.

"Look at what you've done, how big the world is that surrounds you." Thus Barbara Manni, Alex Zanardi's sister-in-law, spoke at the Bolognese athlete's funeral, representing the family.

"'Fighter,' I think this word captures your truest essence," added her sister-in-law, recalling the influence of her father Dino, her mother Anna, and her wife Daniela. "Without Dino, Anna, Daniela, and the silent admiration and respect of their son Niccolò, the story we've seen wouldn't be the same," Barbara added, saying she's certain that one day "I'll still hear your voice saying 'Hey, sister-in-law.'"

At the end of his words , "Combattente" by Fiorella Mannnoia was played in the church.

(Unioneonline)

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