Maurizio Pili was bathing in one of the ancient public thermal baths in Sasso Pisano, in the Castelnuovo Valdicecina area of the province of Pisa, when he fell ill. The illness, likely a heart attack, proved fatal. He was originally from Elini and had turned 55 just six days before the tragic event, which occurred late Saturday afternoon. Emergency responders, who arrived just minutes after the call for assistance, attempted to revive the man, but all efforts were in vain. At the direction of the Pisa Public Prosecutor's Office, his body was seized and transferred to the Forensic Medicine department of the provincial capital for tests to determine the exact cause of death.
The victim
Maurizio Pili was the son of the first couple from Elini to emigrate to Pomarance, a town just outside Pisa that is home to a large community from the Ogliastra region. He was born in Tuscany, but later returned to Elini, where he lived for several years in the family home. He then decided to cross the Tyrrhenian Sea again to settle permanently in Larderello, a hamlet of Pomarance, where he lived with his wife and two children. It wasn't the first time the man, a Ciclat worker, had gone to the public washhouses to spend a few hours of his free time. Perhaps the excessive heat of the past few days had caused his illness. Friends raised the alarm at the 118 operations center just before 6:00 PM. His condition immediately appeared critical, and by the time public health volunteers arrived at the spa, there was nothing more they could do for Pili.
Strong bond
At least once a year, Maurizio Pili returned to his hometown to spend a holiday with his family, confirming his connection to his roots. The emigrant from Elini was well-known in Valdicecina: he was among the founders of the Alta Valdicina Public Assistance and was involved in numerous civil defense activities. Volunteering was a principle he also passed on to his two sons, both volunteers for the Public Assistance. In Elini, the news of his passing was deeply felt: "Maurizio Pili's face," said Elini's mayor, Vitale Pili, "was the epitome of joy and a zest for life. As a community, we join in the family's grief."
