Today at the Quirinale, Mauro Glorioso received the honor of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic from the hands of President Sergio Mattarella. The motivation is clear: “For not giving up on life’s adversities“. A recognition that comes after a path marked by a dramatic event. In January 2023, while walking with friends along the Murazzi in Turin, Mauro was hit by an electric bicycle weighing over 20 kilos thrown from above. Since that day he has been quadriplegic. Those responsible were convicted of attempted murder.
From trauma to medical degree
The young man from Palermo, now 26 years old, has not interrupted his journey. Just one year behind schedule, he earned his degree in Medicine and Surgery last fall. A goal achieved by facing enormous effort, including rehabilitation, study and new living conditions to reorganize.
In his words, spoken after the announcement of the honour, there is the concrete meaning of this step: becoming a doctor despite everything, with the hope of improving one’s physical conditions and being able to be increasingly useful to patients. Mauro also looks at scientific research, in particular that on spinal cord injuries, which requires significant investments and constant progress.
An example among 31 stories of civil commitment
Glorioso is one of the 31 citizens awarded the Order of Merit this year. Women and men chosen for having distinguished themselves in social matters, in sport as a tool for inclusion, in ethical entrepreneurship, in volunteering, in health protection and for acts of courage carried out beyond their professional duty. Today’s ceremony at the Quirinale was not just a symbolic moment.
It is the public recognition of an uncommon determination, of a precise choice: not to let an act of violence define one’s future. Mauro Glorioso, struck by an irresponsible gesture, responded with study, discipline and commitment, transforming an irreversible fracture into a path of responsibility towards others. Today it celebrates an institutional milestone. But the title of Knight of the Republic above all tells of the continuity of a journey that did not stop in front of the toughest obstacle.
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