For over three months, he hasn't been able to leave his home without the help of friends, relatives, and neighbors. Not because he doesn't want to, but because he can't. Valter Cabras, 100% disabled and without his legs, is forced to ask for help every time he wants to leave his public housing apartment on Via Samuele Utzeri, in the Sant'Elia neighborhood, due to a broken elevator that has yet to be repaired.
The building, managed by Area – the regional housing agency – has no other access options. Valter lives on the first floor and has to climb three flights and 25 steps to get down.
"It's impossible on my own," he says. "To go out, I need two people to help my wife, who is also disabled, carry me downstairs. And then bring me back up, finally. But that's not always possible. I often have to give up walks, but I need medical care and visits: I'm a dialysis patient and have to go out four times a week to the hospital."
A situation that has been dragging on for months, documented with photos and reports sent to Area by Cabras himself, but which have remained, until today, unanswered.
"We immediately reported the fault," he reports. "We sent everything to Area. They're aware of the situation, and they said they'd check it out, but they haven't taken any concrete action. It's a constant back-and-forth."
His voice is filled with bitterness, but not resignation. "We pay all the expenses: rent, bills, everything. So why this abandonment?"
To get down, Valter had to drag himself down the steps using a cushion , putting his health, balance and dignity at risk.
"Every step is an obstacle, every exit is a battle. What if there's an emergency? An ambulance? How do I get down?"
Meanwhile, the days pass, and with them the seasons. But for Valter, everything remains still. Stuck on the first floor. Waiting for someone to remember that an elevator can sometimes make the difference between a life lived and a life suspended.