They believed him dead, he was in an abandoned room in southern Rome: found thanks to Facebook

He lived in a basement in Largo Cannella, in Spinaceto, but he remembered almost nothing of his past, where he came from and of those who were looking for him. He has an incredible story of a homeless 50-year-old Romanian citizen, absent from home for years and now given up for dead by his family of origin: his daughter found him thanks to a Facebook post.

The reclamation of public space and the encounter with a homeless person

In recent days, the 9th town hall has begun a work of reclamation of the basement of the buildings in Largo Cannella, where, in the intentions of the Capitoline administration, it will be built one of 15 projects for the City of 15 minutes, financed with 1,500,000 euros by the Campidoglio. The offices knew of the presence of a homeless man, who used those abandoned and trash-filled spaces for sleep and shelter. As told by the mini mayor Titti Di Salvo, the intent was to find him a new accommodation.

The photo posted on Facebook

“One of the workers of the company that was carrying out the clearing and reclamation – continues the president – began to speak to us in Romanian and understood that he was in a confused state, he did not remember anything, he had no references. So, in agreement with our offices , photographed it and posted the image on Facebook, addressing his Romanian contacts”. And that’s how the miracle happened, the unthinkable.

The family believed him dead

The daughter of the man, who was immediately taken to the Casa di Heidi (reception center managed by the Community of Sant’Egidio), intercepted the Facebook post and got in touch with the worker and a video call was organized : the man slowly recognized the woman he hadn’t seen for years and met his grandchildren for the first time. “They thought he was dead – continues Di Salvo – and it was exciting to know that they would finally see each other again. In fact, his daughter will come to pick him up soon”.

A special birthday

It was a special birthday for the man: on May 24, in fact, he turned 50 and celebrated with the operators of the Heidi House. “I want to thank the offices – said the president of the IX – because they have shown that there are workers of great humanity and dedication”.