“I was on the northern Apuan Alps with a friend. At one point, I put my foot down wrong on a path whose cliff was hidden by vegetation, falling into the void for about ten meters.” This is how the story of Gabriele Cisetti, employee at the tourist reception of the Municipality of Lucca and union delegate of Filt Cgil, who fell into a ravine in the Apuan Alps five years ago, begins.
The accident
A ten-meter fall that caused him a fractured shoulder and twelve ribs, as well as a lung contusion. A narrowly avoided tragedy, thanks to the timely intervention of his friend, who immediately raised the alarm.
Moments that Gabriele tells us as if he were reliving them. “I was afraid I wouldn’t make it – he continues -. I remember the darkness, the cold of the night, and also a great thirst. At one point, overwhelmed by despair, I even feared that help would no longer arrive.” Three hours, from 7 pm to 10 pm, that seemed endless to him and that he manages to face thinking of his loved ones, describing those moments as “a mystical experience. After the accident, many asked me if I had thanked the Almighty, but I believe that, if a higher entity exists, it was embodied in all the people who helped me in those moments of deep despair.”
The thanks
Words that Gabriele pronounces with a deep sense of gratitude towards the men of the Alpine Rescue, the doctors, and all the people who were close to him during the long convalescence: fifteen days of hospitalization and three months at home, between physiotherapy and excruciating pain. An intervention that the man defines as “long and tiring”: since it was already night, in fact, the helicopter could no longer take off, forcing the rescuers to reach him on foot and then carry him to the town of Forno.
“I remember the moment I saw the light of a torch above my head – he recounts -. These are moments you don’t forget. Especially when one of the rescuers told me: ‘Remember that June 22 will be a sort of second birthday for you, the day of your rebirth.’ He was right.” Gabriele defines himself as a “miracle survivor.” A situation he becomes aware of once he arrived at Noa (New Apuan Hospital). “It was there that I realized how much my life had been in danger: besides the broken arm, I had multiple fractures to twelve ribs, injuries that caused me respiratory failure and severe difficulty breathing.”
A pain he decides to turn into gratitude, giving it voice and thanking, also on Il Tirreno, the National Health Service, the ASL, all the doctors, the rescuers who assisted him, and his family doctor. A trauma that, however, inevitably resurfaces every time the man hears news reporting events similar to his. For example, he recounts an episode that happened when he was still hospitalized: “It was a couple who fell into the void during a hike. She managed to save herself, the boyfriend unfortunately lost his life.”
The advice
A tragedy that then gave way to an unexpected intertwining of humanity: some time later, Gabriele met that girl in a section of the Cai (Italian Alpine Club), which both decided to join following the traumatic experiences they had lived through. Precisely to help prevent similar tragedies, Gabriele concludes his story with some advice: “It is essential to promote paths of knowledge of the mountains and the risks they entail. The Cai organizes awareness activities and meetings open not only to members but also to the entire community. I would also like to mention GeoResQ, a free Cai application that, when you find yourself in a dangerous situation, allows you to alert rescuers by automatically sending your position and data. It is a very useful tool because it speeds up rescue operations. Within the Cai it is a well-known application, but outside not everyone is aware of it. For this reason, I strongly recommend joining this organization.”
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