Franco Di Mare’s brother: “Marrying his partner was his dream, he left a note in the elevator”

Gino recounts the last days of the reporter's life, love and "professional" illness

ROME – “He managed to get married, he was happy. I was a witness and here, on my little finger, is his wedding ring. It doesn’t go out anymore but as soon as I can I’ll give it back to my wife”. These are the words of Gino Di Mare, Franco’s brother who passed away yesterday at the age of 68. In an interview with the newspaper La Repubblica, the scientific journalist talks about the emotion of the wedding of the RAI reporter and war correspondent shortly before his death, news reported in preview by the Dire Agency. “It was his dream to marry his partner -. He succeeded three days ago. We were there, the people closest to him. He is so reserved and respectable that he wrote a note which we posted in the elevatorand in which he apologized for the fuss of the celebrations. He invited the condominium to toast with us.”

THE “PROFESSIONAL ILLNESS”

“He was convinced that his was an occupational illness. My brother was in Bosnia, in Kosovo, in Macedonia. He certainly didn’t get it at home on mesothelioma. Rai turned its back on him in the most delicate moment of his career. He gave his life for Rai”.

NAPLES AND THE SCAMARANZIA

“He passed away without suffering, lucid. There is one detail, however, that I can’t get out of my head. Franco died at 5.17pm on Friday the 17th. One could tell me ‘You’re Neapolitan, you’re superstitious’. I wonder instead, how is it possible that my brother left on this particular date and time.”