In the foreground, his smiling face, next to his beloved dog. In the background, the blue of Poetto with the Devil's Saddle. A corner of Selargius dedicated to Nicola Salis— the 27-year-old who died last November in the tragic accident on Via del Lavoro —where his friends have had a mural painted in his memory.
The choice of the facade for the portrait is no coincidence: in that open space in the Terr'e Forru development, renamed Piazza Baloo by the group of friends, they grew up and became teenagers. "It was our meeting place," explains Eleonora Pibiri, on behalf of all of Nicola Salis's friends, who are promoting the fundraiser for the mural unveiled yesterday. In addition to the peers of the boy who passed away over four months ago, the 27-year-old's parents—Michela Porcu and Alessandro Salis—his sister Melania, his girlfriend Giada, relatives, and Mayor Gigi Concu were also present.
"Nico was a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a nephew, a cousin, a classmate, a colleague, and for us he wasn't just a friend, but something much more," was the emotional remembrance during yesterday's inauguration. "Each of us has a different memory of him, each of us experiences grief differently, but one thing unites us all: the love and affection we felt for him and his absence," was the dedication read yesterday by Nicola's friends. "For us, this isn't just a drawing, it's a place where we can gather, a place where we can feel close to him. This square represents our adolescence and will continue to be our meeting place."
Then thanks to "the Meloni and Badas families who allowed us to create the mural on their wall, and to all of you who helped us in this endeavor with your generosity. A special thanks goes to Sandro, Michela, and Melania, who with their strength and love are an example of life for all of us. But the biggest thanks goes to you, Nico, for being there in our lives: you will live forever in our hearts, because those who live in memories never die. Goodbye Nico, we love you all the way up there."