Alex Zanardi has returned home and will spend Christmas with his family. After a year and a half in the hospital, following the dramatic accident during a handbike event in the Sienese area, the former Formula 1 driver will continue his rehabilitation at home in Padua. It was his wife Daniela Manni who made the announcement through the BMW Italia website, of which the former Zanardi is the brand ambassador: “He repeatedly demonstrates that he is a real fighter”.
“Alex was able to leave the hospital a few weeks ago and now he is back home with us – explained his wife -. We have waited a long time for this to happen and we are very happy that it was possible now, even if there will still be in the future. temporary stays in special clinics to carry out specific rehabilitation measures on the spot “.
“After the long period in hospital – added the consort of the Paralympic champion – it is important for Alex to return to his family. For a year and a half he had around him only people with masks and protective equipment and visits were very limited. Now we are with Alex all day, he is in his family environment and therefore can return to a minimum to normal. This gives it extra strength. We are very grateful to the medical staff of the clinics where he was treated. “
Alex Zanardi, 55, was the victim of a very serious road accident on 19 June 2020: with his handbike he collided with a truck while traveling along the provincial road 146 between San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza, in the province of Siena, on the occasion of the ‘Obiettivo Tricolore’ solidarity relay promoted by disabled athletes. He was immediately transported to the hospital of Santa Maria alle Scotte in Siena and subjected to a delicate neurosurgery and maxillofacial surgery. After almost a month of pharmacological coma and three other operations, he was first transferred to a specialized center in Lecco, then to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, back in intensive care. In November 2020 he was transferred to a rehabilitation clinic of the Padua hospital, where he regained consciousness in January 2021.
Meanwhile last July the judge of preliminary investigations of the Court of Siena closed the investigation for negligent injuries against Marco Ciacci, 45 years old, living in Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena), the driver of the truck against which the handbike crashed.
Now “our only priority is to accompany Alex on his journey with all our energy”, explains Daniela Manni in the long interview with the BMW Italia website. “Recovery continues to be a long process. The rehabilitation program led by doctors, physiotherapists, neuropsychologists and speech therapists has allowed constant progress. Of course, the setbacks are there and can still happen. Sometimes you have to take two steps back to take one forward. But Alex repeatedly proves that he is a real fighter“.
Says his wife: “Alex has not met friends and part of the family for a year and a half. Only me, our son and Alex’s mother could visit him, but always only one person a day and only for an hour and a half. All of this hasn’t helped to make things easier for Alex, so it helps that he’s home with us now, even though currently it can only have close family members around, as the number of Coronavirus cases is increasing again. Doctors, health professionals, therapists and all those involved have done so much for Alex and continue to accompany us in his rehabilitation. In the clinics, Alex is in very good hands, but his home is still his home. “
As for the rehabilitation program, Daniela Manni explains that “several programs that Alex followed in the hospital will continue at home. During the week, a therapist works with him on physical, neurological and speech therapy exercises. As for his physical condition, there is a lot of progress. Alex gains more and more strength in her arms, which has increased a lot. And except for the hospital, where he was in bed for a long time, Alex now spends most of the day in his wheelchair with us. He rests only a little in the afternoon, after lunch “.
As for further expectations about his recovery process, the ex-driver’s wife observes: “It is not yet possible to predict how his recovery will develop further. It is still a long and demanding path that Alex faces with a very combative spirit. Receiving so much support on this journey, not only from the doctors and therapists who constantly work with him, is a great help for him and for us. Our friends are always there for us. This includes the BMW Group family that we can always count on and who are firmly by our side even in this difficult time. We are very grateful to everyone for this and so much more, because these solid bonds give us extra energy. This also applies to the ongoing affection we receive from riders, fans and acquaintances from all over the world. We would like to express a big Thanks to everyone who sends their positive thoughts and strength to Alex. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year. ”
L’Alex Zanardi’s homecoming announcement came during the 2021 Gold Collars ceremony, the highest honor of Italian sport, which was held this morning in the Sala Sinopoli of the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome. And it was greeted with applause. “It is the best gift we could have received, hoping to find family serenity and recovery successes”, said Luca Pancalli, and the president of the Italian Paralympic Committee. “It is wonderful news because there have been several attempts for various medical reasons to return home, it has been a great success, it allows him to have Christmas at home”, added Giovanni Malagò, president of Coni. “This is wonderful news in a day that crowns the athletes who made our Italy great, this is the power of sport that allows us to have Alex Zanardi among us”.
(from Paolo Martini)