"He died in my hands." Gianni Pistidda, a minority municipal councilor in Quartucciu, cannot be rested. His mind is still stationary at those last moments, while together with the local police agents, Tonio Corona and Tonio Loi, before the arrival of the 118 ambulances, he tried to revive the former deputy mayor Tonino Meloni, struck down on Thursday by a heart attack while speaking in the Council.
No defibrillator
There is no defibrillator in the Municipality of Quartucciu. "It wasn't mandatory and we were waiting for the implementing decrees to buy it, but after this tragedy we can't afford to wait any longer," admits Mayor Pietro Pisu now, visibly proven by what happened.
Thus, in the absence of a life-saving machinery that should be present in all public places, for about ten minutes it was Pistidda, Corona and Loi, who took turns and practiced heart massage. They tried everything, it wasn't enough. “I don't have many words, it was a chilling scene, I'm sad and sorry. Before the politician in my hands a friend of mine died - says Pistidda with shining eyes -. The ambulance never seemed to arrive, those minutes seemed like hours to me. "
City mourning
« Sorry, I'm not well », the last words of Tonino Meloni, 72 years old.
All Quartucciu is in shock. The mayor proclaimed city mourning for two days: flags at half mast and banner with black cloth. In fact, on Thursday evening a piece of the city's history left, a politician of great depth, a supporter of his ideals, a protagonist of the socialist party, always ready to fight for the community. And he left in that hall of the City Council which had been his second home since 1983 and where he had been mayor twice, in 1989 and 1997.
Mayor
"He has dedicated over forty years to our community with commitment and love, always looking for the best for the city administration - is the memory of the mayor Pietro Pisu -. He always said “I play with the Quartucciu shirt”, so he wanted to underline and underline all his political battles which had the sole purpose of defending the rights of our city and pursuing the good of our people ».
Funeral today
Today, at 4 pm, in the parish of San Giorgio, Quartucciu will greet him for the last time before the body makes its return to Cagliari, the city where Meloni resided and where he will be buried. No funeral parlor: the family, closed in pain and silence, preferred privacy.
(Unioneonline)
More details in the article by Francesca Melis on L'Unione Sarda on newsstands