Contrada
(Hamlet) of Morretto – Tragic Farm Accident
March 15, 2009 - Antonio Piccoli
Unfortunately, there is some very sad news to report.
The town is
in shock and in disbelief.
Yesterday,
March 14th, around lunchtime, a terrible tragedy occurred.
Poor
Giovanni Palizzi di lu murrette, 78 years old, from the hamlet of
Morretto, but resident in the town center for the past few years on Via
delle Piane, was the victim of a terrible farm accident.
Keep in
mind that the following news is fragmentary, told to me by people who
were not present, and so might not be completely factual.
In any
case, they say that Giovanni left that morning with his friend Donato Di
Marino di iaiò to prune and fertilize olive trees on their adjacent
plots of land.
They finished the job,
and so towards noon they headed back home. Donato drove the tractor and
Giovanni it appears was sitting in the back on a trailer.
At a
certain point they reached a small uphill climb, and the tractor was
having a hard time getting up it.
Donato
thought it was best to go in reverse a bit to get enough speed to get
over the climb. For some reason the trailer leaned and tipped over,
completely rolling over poor Giovanni, who was crushed by the weight of
the trailer. Donato quickly tried to pull Giovanni out. He tried
desperately with all his strength to lift the trailer and help his
friend, but unfortunately Giovanni died nearly immediately. The
authorities took the tractor away, and Giovanni’s body was taken to the
cemetery to undergo an autopsy.
Donato was
taken to the hospital because as a result of the accident and of trying
to lift the trailer he damaged his back, but he is not in any sort of
critical condition.
After the autopsy the
body was taken back to Giovanni’s home, and today at 3:30pm the funeral
was held with the entire town in attendance.
He was a very generous
man, a friend to everyone – kind and young-at-heart.
I had no
idea he was 78; I thought he was younger.
I send my condolences and the condolences of the entire community to his
wife Matilde, to his son Nicola and to all his relatives.
I also send out a word of encouragement to poor Donato and his family
who are certainly suffering a great deal at this moment.
Luca Di Siro:
I extend my condolences to the
Palizzi family in this moment of great sorrow. I knew Giovanni, and the
evenings I spent with him were filled with joy, fun and good cheer. He
was a dear friend – kind and cordial – and above all, an excellent
dancer. He was almost always present whenever I played my accordion at
a dance. I am deeply pained by this tragic event. Giovanni will remain
always in my heart.
A warm embrace to the entire
Palizzi family.