The day after his honor at the Quirinale, Jeff Onorato still seems incredulous. "Sometimes I don't believe the things I've done," he confesses, thinking back to shaking hands with the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who awarded him the title of Commander of the Republic for his sporting and inclusive achievements. This recognition seals a legacy of determination, talent, and social commitment. A disabled athlete, Jeff Onorato has written significant chapters in international water skiing, winning multiple world and European titles. But his greatest challenge is perhaps the one he continues every summer in front of the waters of the island of Caprera, of which he is particularly proud. Here, he founded and directs an inclusive water skiing school, open from June to September, where sport becomes a tool for freedom, autonomy, and connection.
And now? "I'm convinced that everything in life must happen," he says, halfway between irony and conviction. There's no shortage of projects: improving the school, making it even more efficient and operational. But also new personal challenges, goals capable—he assures—of fulfilling still-living desires. He remains cautious about the details, however. "I like to do things first and then declare them." New achievements are on the horizon, no less important than those already achieved, but for now they remain in the drawer of concrete dreams. He leaves young people with a simple and direct message, almost a manifesto for life: "The smallest thing accomplished matters more than the largest declared project." Words that describe, better than any medal, the measure of a champion.