We visited Salvatore in Santa Maria di Leuca, the furthest point of the heel of Italy, a famous touristic spot between the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas.
Salvatore loves the sea, and even though he works on the family farm, he always finds a way to dedicate whole days to underwater fishing, his greatest passion.
Salvatore’s story
Salvatore’s life has changed in the last 4 years: following a car accident that involved him with his wife and daughter, he had to undergo the amputation of his left forearm, due to the injuries sustained.
Salvatore‘s smile, however, suggests his tenacity, typical of a strong person, who, although changed by the tragic event, had the courage not to abandon himself to his situation.
But he was afraid too. His fear was of not being able to do what he loved anymore.
Immediately after the accident, he left the operating room and immediately thought: “Can I go back to fishing?” “Will I be able to hold a rifle? Will I be able to keep my balance? “.
Today Salvatore proudly tells us that he did it, and he takes us on a boat with him, exploring the blue depths of his sea, where he swims completely at ease.
When you face this type of situation, it is easy to abandon yourself to despair and lose the strength to react, but the light that shines in Salvatore‘s eyes when he tells us about the moment he went back to fishing, suggests that he does not lose heart.
“The first time I fished after the accident it was a very strong emotion” he says “When I hit that first fish it was great”.
However, there were difficult moments. He told us about the exact moment when he had seen his shadow on the wall for the first time, a great suffering moment for him, because in that moment he understood how others looked at him.
What is Salvatore looking for in a prosthesis?
Today Salvatore uses a myoelectric prosthesis, but he explained the characteristics his ideal prosthesis should have. He would like a robust prosthesis, with a robotic aesthetic, which guarantees precision.
“You realize how precise the hand is when you no longer have it“, which is why he uses the prosthesis as a support for your right hand. Clearly, as a fishing enthusiast, he has the dream of having a waterproof hand, and he is confident that the new high-tech prostheses will fulfill this desire.
In short, Salvatore is a person full of life, because when you taste certain sensations the perspectives change you, and the scale of your priorities changes as well.
Salvatore doesn’t fear limits, because he is the demonstration that even in diversity any goal can be achieved!
Keep following us, we will soon tell you about the prosthesis we are preparing for Salvatore!
