Sometimes the deepest dreams don’t require grand gestures, but a willingness to listen. For Giuseppe, known to all as Peppo, 60 years old, suffering from ALS, that desire had a special weight: to return to see the sea of Bergeggi, the place where he had lived carefree summers with his family. Although the illness had made him completely dependent on a chair, an armchair and a bed, the bond with that stretch of coast had never been broken.
His wish was collected by the Abacus ODV association of Ceva, which with the Ambulance of Desires project accompanies people in an advanced stage of illness to emotionally important places. Thanks to the collaboration with the White Cross of Ceva, the volunteers prepared a dedicated ambulance and a special stretcher, so that Peppo could undertake the journey together with his wife Gioia and his two children.
At dawn, the vehicle left Cuneo leaving snow and cold behind. During the journey, Peppo proudly remembered the years spent in the Navy, stories that seemed to warm his gaze. The volunteers described small gestures and exchanges capable of softening the fatigue of the journey, signs of a humanity that cannot be improvised.
The return to the sea
Once we arrived in Bergeggi, the stretcher was placed on the sand. The sea was calm, the sun clear, the horizon open. Peppo asked to remove his cap, he deeply inhaled the smell of salt and listened to the sound of the waves breaking slowly. At that moment he uttered words that the volunteers will cherish forever: “Now I’m at peace”.
For the association, this gesture represents the most authentic meaning of their work: offering dignity and humanity even in the most fragile moments of existence. The Ambulance of Desires project was not created to carry out spectacular feats, but to give everyone the chance to experience a last fragment of beauty. A short journey, but capable of leaving an indelible mark on those who experienced it – and on those who made it possible.
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