Parma, 21 August 2023 – Damiano was also at the Tardini. From his place in the sky, what he loved to look at as he climbed mountains, he must have smiled, as nice and polite as he war, when his dad Stefano took to the pitch to embrace President Kyle Krause and receive a bouquet of flowers.
Half-time at Parma-Feralpisalò was a moment of life, of unforgettable emotion for the family of Damiano Cavalli, son of Stefano, the coach of Va’ Pensiero-Parma Special team, Parma’s paralympic Crociati. Two years ago, a mountain, Pizzo Coca, took him away. Snatched from life at the age of 26. Two years in which Damiano’s family struggled, got up again and have continued to live full of the values that Damiano shared.
The same values that gave rise to a tournament in his name on Friday in Lugagnano Superiore, on the football pitch dedicated to him. One community, already very united, that has become even closer around its loved ones. First place went to the ‘old’ team, Selecao Lugagnano, who beat the young ‘Ischianesi’ from Vezzano in the semifinals and, in the final, the ‘Lugga beach’ children’s team, not without difficulty and in a truly aggressive match fought to the last minute (as in all past years) with great competition. Parma Special lost the third-place play-off to the youngsters from Vezzano. At the end, the prizes were presented by Claudio Riani, Mayor of the municipality of Monchio delle Corti, Damiano’s home town. And celebrating Mass was Don Angelo Fagioli, the parish priest who 51 years ago built the football pitch that now bears Damiano’s name.