THE MOTHER OF an Italian man who was left paralysed after being attacked in a Dublin park has written a letter thanking the people of Ireland for their help.
Guido Nasi was 17 when he was hit over the head with a half-full bottle during an unprovoked attack in Fairview Park in July 1999.
The assault left him paraplegic and in need of round-the-clock care, and he was recently moved to a care centre in Turin in his home country.
Dublin man James Osbourne was jailed for eight-and-a-half years for the attack. He was released in 2008.
Guido is set to be the guest of honour at an event in Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday, and appeared on The Late Late Show alongside his mother Simoneta this evening.
In a letter read out on the show, Simoneta – who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – said she was in Dublin to thank the people of Ireland as it could be her last time to do so because of her illness.
“I do not think about why this happened,” she wrote.
“I just think about how can I help Guido to accept his new condition, with all his dreams still alive in his head as they were on the night of 30 July 1999.
“It’s not easy. It’s difficult to plan a future when it is so completely different from what you had imagined.
The reason you’re all so important is that you helped us to survive this tragedy, to accept life, to help Guido to believe in his remaining capacity.
Simoneta also said there were “no words” to show her family’s gratitude to the people of Ireland since her son was attacked, and that she will never forget the help they received.
“We felt a great big hug from young and old… Thank you all for everything. It has been a pleasure knowing such a wonderful country,” she concluded.
The show also heard from a representative from the Irish Tourist Assistance Service, who will also attend the event in Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday.
She said that Guido’s recent move a care home in Turin has affected his life for the better.
“He’s mixing with young people. He’s taken up sport, he’s great at bocce, which is the kind of boules that they play,” she said, adding that he has also recently returned to university to study.
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