«Gigi Riva he refused Angi's intervention oplastic: he had acute coronary syndrome but he didn't feel it." This was revealed by the medical director of Arnas Brotzu, Raimondo Pinna, during a press conference called in the hospital after the death of Rombo di Tuono. Pinna also reveals: «I spoke to him ten minutes before he went into cardiac arrest. He was fine, he was joking. Then the situation worsened."

Riva's last hours were reconstructed not only by Pinna, but also by the director of Cardiology Marco Corda (he heads the department in which Riva was hospitalized) and by Bruno Loi, director of the Hemodynamics department.

Riva was taken to hospital at 3am last night . Immediate tests were carried out to assess his general health conditions, which revealed a serious coronary disease.

According to the doctors, the intervention was necessary. But Gigi Riva did not give his consent. And without that everyone in the hospital had their hands tied. «Let me be clear», added Pinna, «the operation also involved risks. But there was an opportunity that he decided not to take." Which, however, might not be conclusive. But the situation seemed to have normalized. Shortly after 6pm the sudden worsening: Riva went into cardiac arrest. Loi's team tried to intervene urgently. But it was too late. Thunderclap's heart hasn't started beating again: the darling is dead, his legend will live forever.

«If the fans want to come and pay homage to him», recommends Pinna, «they leave room for the ambulances».

Enrico Fresu

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