"I survived after losing my whole family"

That phone call often echoes in her mind. "Tania, why didn't you come home?" Where are you? From your classmate in Cagliari? Why didn't you warn us? We were waiting for you at home in Pula after school. You made us worry. "

The last dialogue between Tania Suella and her mother took place on March 31, 1998, twenty-four years ago. “She was sorry, she scolded me. When I left school, the hotel institute in Pula, instead of returning home to Capo Blu, I accepted the invitation of my classmate and got on the bus for Cagliari. Without even making a call to mine. We had to study together, then we took a walk downtown ».

Tania was 16. He couldn't imagine that soon after, his life would change forever. At 7 pm, his father Paolo, his mother Paola and his four brothers left by car to visit a relative in Frutti d'Oro. They never arrived: in a road accident at Villa d'Orri, in the Sarroch area, everyone lost their lives. Also to blame for a curb that made the car skid and was eliminated after a week. A tragedy that made the whole of Sardinia cry. Tania, during the funeral celebrated by the then auxiliary bishop of Cagliari Tarcisio Pillolla, got up from the bench to embrace the coffins: that of the mother, of the father, then the white coffin of the two younger brothers. She didn't manage to kiss them all: she collapsed, overcome by pain. The doubt remained in the depths of her heart: "If I hadn't gone to study with my friend that day, I probably would have been with them too."

Tania Suella today is the age of her mother, 40 years old, she works in a supermarket in Capoterra, she is married to Federico Serra, driver from Sarroch, they had two children, ten and seven years old. The little girl has her grandmother's blue eyes and her little sister's name, Natasha, flew to the sky in an instant, as the car invaded the other lane and hit a truck carrying tomatoes. Tania is a smiling woman, cheerful, accomplished at work and in the family.

How is it possible to overcome such a tragedy?

“I don't know, and I don't know if I've ever gotten through it. The strong character of my father and the smile of my mother certainly helped me: since I was a child I have been very focused, independent, I have always had my head in order, I have never let myself be influenced by others, I have always tried to get by. alone. After the accident it was not easy, I thought about graduating, looking for a job, I never shut myself up at home, I always tried to lead a normal life: friends, a pizza, an evening of dancing ».

Did it succeed?

"Yup. But I don't deny that deep down, even now, sometimes I feel alone. A particular loneliness: from one moment to the next I lost father, mother and four little brothers, I was the oldest. And I miss them. I miss my mom, who loved children and would have been a great grandmother. I miss my father, a strong, good, hard worker, who went out of his way for us. And then Enea, he was 14 years old, he was a closed but very good child, Natasha (11 years old) who was in love with animals, with life in the open air, Jonatan, (10 years old) a playful always smiling like mother, and Samuele, had four years old, the little one of the house. But they are always with me ».

What do you remember of that day?

“I didn't know anything that evening. I didn't have a cell phone, I didn't watch TV. I was unaware of everything. The next day I arrived at school by bus, a person near the newsstand recognized me and said: yours are all dead . I collapsed. My aunt's husband, mother's sister came to pick me up, they welcomed me at home, I owe it to them if I was able to study and continue my life as always even if it was never the same again ".

What did your father do?

“The warden at Cape Blu. And my mother kept the houses clean, I also helped her when I finished school. We were finally a happy family, after difficult times: thanks to my father, his desire to work. He was well liked by everyone ».

Do you believe in God?

“When certain things happen, you question everything a bit. I cultivated a faith towards Our Lady: I prayed a lot even when we couldn't have children and I was very keen on it: I didn't want to be alone in the world anymore ».

Who helped her?

"Many. Even relatives, of course, but above all people who met me by chance, maybe they didn't know my story and appreciated me for what I became, a woman, a mother who cares so much for her family. Among these there is a dear friend from Cagliari who also helped me with my work, she is my mother's age, I owe her a lot ».

Did you tell your children the truth?

“They know that grandfather, grandmother and uncles are gone, they are protecting them from heaven. Sometimes I dress them in T-shirts or underwear that belonged to my little brothers. When I went to free Capo Blu's house, I took a lot of things, even my mother's clothes and my father's shirts and jackets. What remains of them, as well as wonderful memories ».

Do you often talk about your loved ones who are no longer there?

«Yes, every occasion is good because it is right to cultivate the memory of those you loved so much. The other day, for example, my tennis teacher in Pula, Fabrizio Mei, gave me a photo of Natascia: my little sister was playing tennis with him in the Santa Margherita elementary school. I didn't even know he had practiced that sport, Natasha. It gave me immense pleasure ».

Paolo Carta