Just under two years ago a young Italian student was playing football and enjoying the summer sunshine in Fairview Park, Dublin, when he was the victim of a brutal attack. Guido Nasi had come to Ireland to study at the Horner School of English in Fitzwilliam Street, not far from St Stephen's Green. It was his first time away from home.
Guido had been lodging with Ashley and Brendan Murphy and their children - the then three-year-old Jack and baby Kevin - in the northside suburb of Raheny for over a month at the time of the attack. At six foot three and with his hair in dreadlocks, Guido was a striking young man with a zest for life, according to Ashley. He was very popular at the language school. A convinced vegetarian, he seemed much older than his 17 years. Brendan Murphy says the family clicked with him from his first day in their home, when he brought Jack across the road to Raheny Park for a game of football. He particularly enjoyed watching The Simpsons with the whole family.
Guido is the only child of Simonetta, a single mother from Turin who had scrimped and saved to provide him with the opportunity of going to Dublin to improve his prospects in life.
He received catastrophic injuries in the Fairview Park attack. He was gravely ill in Beaumont Hospital and in a coma for weeks before pulling through, but the injuries he received left him almost totally paralysed from the neck down. On receiving the news of the attack on her son, a distraught Simonetta hurried from Turin to be at his bedside. The Irish media had highlighted the attack and the reaction from the public was one of outrage that this should happen here. Flowers, presents and messages of goodwill flooded in to Guido in Beaumont.
Every day while he was in a coma, the woman he called "my Irish mamma", Ashley Murphy, visited him. She often wonders if he heard her efforts to communicate with him.
While he did eventually come out of the coma, the medical prognosis was bleak. He faced a future in a wheelchair, unable to do anything for himself and would require 24-hour care for the rest of his life. Furthermore, he was left with only peripheral vision and unable to speak. He can hear, though, and is very alert mentally. Over the past 18 months Guido has had extensive physiotherapy, including a spell at a specialist clinic in Innsbruck, Austria. At first, he could communicate only in a painstakingly slow manner with the aid of his mother who would move her fingers on the alphabet and he would indicate which letter he wanted by moving his thumb.
After lengthy and painful treatment, Guido was able to hold a pen between his working thumb and his forefinger and write a letter of the alphabet. Simonetta, however, had to move his hand on to the next letter. The first letter he wrote was to thank the Murphy family, who had been writing to him regularly.
Guido has also had extensive physiotherapy on his facial muscles, his back and his hands, and there are some signs of small improvements. He has also had a daily exercise routine of physio and speech therapy under the care of specialists in Turin, but he is still unable to carry out any task unaided. He is also receiving special tuition to further his education.
BACK in Ireland, Tourist Victim Support has kept up its fund-raising efforts with campaigners such as Anne Meade, Lisa O'Neill and Bernadette Kelly. It has also maintained regular contact with Simonetta, mainly through Bernadette who speaks fluent Italian.
Despite the appalling fate of her son in Fairview Park, Simonetta was overwhelmed by the support she and Guido received from the ordinary people of Ireland. Collections were held in workplaces and schools around the State. At the time, she said the attack on her son could have happened in any country in the world but that what was exceptional in this case was the public response, the support and goodwill they had received. Simonetta, who is now retired, also said that to lift her during difficult times she dreamt of Guido being well enough to come back to Dublin to thank those who helped them.
Yesterday afternoon the dream became a reality. A small reception party organised by Tourist Victim Support provided a loud welcome for a delighted Guido on his arrival at Dublin airport. Guido has brought a trio of carers on his trip. His friend since childhood, Camillo, helps with care and companionship.
And he also has his own personal carer, a Peruvian immigrant called Victor Hugo, for whom the Irish embassy in Italy went to great lengths to ensure that documents were swiftly processed so he could accompany Guido on his trip to Ireland. Tourist Victim Support has arranged a series of outings for the visit, with the generous assistance of various groups and individuals who have made available premises, vehicles, equipment and services.
Yesterday Guido went from the airport to the Mansion House where he met the Lord Mayor, Maurice Ahern, whose predecessor Mary Freehill initiated the appeal on behalf of Tourist Victim Support. Turin's mayor recently paid a visit to thank the Lord Mayor, the people of Ireland and Victim Support for their efforts on behalf of Guido. The Lord Mayor's fund is now over £90,000. It goes some way towards paying the costs of Guido's care.
Also on the itinerary is a guided tour of the Dail by Jim Mitchell TD which will take place this morning. The Mespil Hotel has provided free rooms for the visiting party who is due to appear on tonight's Late Late Show with Pat Kenny.
Last evening in Dublin, the Charge d'Affaires of the Italian embassy, Dr Barbara Bregato Bonafini and Anselmo Bonafini, hosted a moving reception to celebrate the occasion of the visit and to thank all those who have supported or helped the Nasi family, including every Tourist Victim Support worker, representatives of the Lucan and Raheny communities and members of the Italian community (Club Italiano), who held many fundraising events. Copies of Guido's second book of poems were distributed to guests. Many of these were flabbergasted that he could now actually move his arms.
Ashley Murphy has great faith that Guido - who will be 19 next week - will eventually make some kind of a recovery.
"I said from the word `go' that he wouldn't give up easily. His will to live got him through. I can guarantee that he will walk again. He's a fighter. He won't give up easily."
