Badesi, the Serra family and Ranieri's visit to the Microcitemico: «There for our son, we would like to embrace him again»
The coach in 1991 in the hospital to visit sick children. Giuseppe, 11 years old, died a few months later
Memories don't fade and over time they resurface, even if thirty-two years have passed by now. In 1991, Giuseppe Serra was an 11-year-old boy, in love with life and with his Badesi.
In those months, the doctors of the Microcitemico of Cagliari diagnose the little leukemia which will lead him to hospitalization in the pediatric oncology department. Here, the first treatments provided by the medical teams led by Professor Biddau and colleagues Targhetta and Cocco.
Despite his illness, Giuseppe never loses his fighting spirit, which leads him to follow the champions of football and Juventus of which he is a huge fan. The challenge at Sant'Elia on 20 April arrives, which sees the bianconeri led by Trapattoni draw 0-0 against Claudio Ranieri's rossoblù.
Giuseppe has a dream: to meet his favorites. His father Piero and his family try everything to fulfill his wish, taking advantage of the team's presence in the city.
The press blackout in the hours after the game and the quick departure for Turin will not make the match feasible.
At the same time, however, good news arrives: coach Ranieri and a representative from Cagliari Calcio would be delighted to meet Giuseppe and all the children in the department. The journalist Bruno Corda undertakes to organize the visit to the hospital and within a few days, the rossoblùs arrive in the ward.
«I remember that day as if it were still yesterday - says Giuseppe's father, Piero Serra (now 76 years old) - In addition to Ranieri, Fonseca, Matteoli, Herrera, Cappioli and the Orrù brothers, who were at the head of the company at the time, came. Joseph was thrilled, we were too. A great emotion to see that the boys with the coach supported us morally, showing so much love towards our son and the other children".
A subsequent meeting followed, in which the team returned to the ward with gifts for the children : «Gestures that are not easily forgotten - continues his daughter Piera Serra, 42 - and which kept my brother's morale high. We were struck by the extraordinary humility of the coach and the boys towards the little ones, treated as if they were their own children".
Soon, Giuseppe's clinical picture worsened, leading the family to fly to Paris to attempt a bone marrow transplant in a specialized centre. The conditions of the little one will not allow it and in June Giuseppe will die prematurely.
«Our son is always in our hearts - concludes Piero - as well as the affection of mister Ranieri and all the boys of the time. I am a fan of Cagliari and I would like to hug Sir Claudio again and thank him for all the affection he gave to Giuseppe and our family in those days. I wait for him in Badesi to shake his hand and offer him a glass of our wine. The minimum for a great man like him.'
Giorgio Ignazio Onano
