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Some matches are not played on the football pitch. Enea, Roma's youngest season-ticket holder this year, played the biggest match of his life with countless prayers, lullabies and softly sung stadium chants.
Enea was 18 months old when his mum and dad, Valeria and Matteo, bought him a season ticket in the Tribuna Tevere Nord. At that point his brief life had been all uphill.
Valeria explains: “He was born with an intestinal volvulus, which basically means his intestine wrapped around the main artery, causing necrosis. He has a condition called benign chronic intestinal failure. At the moment he has two devices, one for the heart and one in the stomach, which help him to grow by making sure he gets all the nutrients he needs.”
Initially the doctors were pessimistic: “They told us he wouldn't survive.”
And yet Enea surprised everyone.
“He's had six operations. We've been in and out of the hospital,” his mother adds.
His parents decided to offer him a semblance of normalcy by buying him a Roma season ticket.
“We live for Roma – it's part of our daily life,” says Valeria, who used to watch games in the waiting room with other parents. In the evening they would set up a mini Curva Sud in front of a giant screen.
Roma has been the common thread in the life of this brave little soldier, and once he was over the worst there was a part of the Giallorossi community that wanted to reward him for his tenacity: Roma Club Martina Verrelli.
Valeria goes on: “It was set up by the parents in memory of their daughter, who died in a road accident aged just 18. We shared Enea's achievement with them. They gave us a scarf and even made him a member. It was a very emotional moment.”
When you're fighting with your son for his life, your hopes and wishes are different. Valeria's wish is not to see Enea become a Roma player.
“When he was in intensive care I nearly always sang him the same two songs – and one was [Roma stadium chant] Camminerò insieme a te [I'll walk with you].”
There's still a long way to go but it's a path Enea will walk with love on his side.
Imperium Partners
Centurion Partners
