What a gift Laura Carota’s visit, between memory and cycling. We welcomed her with the bells of the Sanctuary of Madonna del Ghisallo to greet her after her 561 km ride from Civitanova Marche.
Laura climbed to Ghisallo to remember her partner Andrea Micucci, who passed away prematurely, but not before donating his organs and saving the lives of five patients.
Andrea was a cyclist and shared this passion with Laura, which led her to remember him at the Sanctuary of Madonna del Ghisallo: ยซI felt like crying. I’m very emotional. When I heard the bells, up here, I felt like crying. I brought Andrea’s jersey here to remember him, to honor him. He was a wonderful man, he was strong, courageous. His great passion was cycling and I thought that leaving his jersey here forever in the temple of this sport would make him happy. But if I made this journey, it’s because I wanted to relaunch his story and his message. The gift, donating is important, it does good to others, but also to ourselves. It even did me good. His generous choice, with which he saved five lives, allowed me to overcome a grief that would otherwise be too painful.ยป
Laura’s journey was organized with the support of AIDO, Associazione italiana per la donazione di organi tessuti e cellule (https://aido.it/). Her journey, like a true pilgrimage, touched several cities and at every stage Laura received a wonderful welcome. At the Sanctuary of Madonna del Ghisallo, she was awaited by representatives of the Gruppo Sportivo Madonna del Ghisallo and the Parrocchia. A special thanks to Marzia Silva who takes care of the Sanctuary and always welcomes with great generosity cyclists from all over the world and devotees of the Madonna del Ghisallo. A thank you also to Barbara Moretti, vice president of AIDO Como for her active collaboration. For the GS Madonna del Ghisallo, Secretary Mirco Monti and President Carlo Ballabio were also present and acted as hosts.
The jersey dedicated to Andrea Micucci that Laura Carota brought as a gift to the Sanctuary was placed at the foot of the altar and will then be kept together with the dedications and ex-votos that the Sanctuary receives.
A journey that pays homage to a cyclist and his generosity and altruism. The message that Laura brought together with AIDO moved everyone present and will bear further fruit.
Among these is a twinning that the Sanctuary of Madonna del Ghisallo, Patron Saint of Cyclists, wants to establish with the Sanctuary of Santa Maria Apparente in Civitanova Marche, the place from which Laura departed on June 16th.
