Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – A first day of school more special than any other for Sofia, Kean, Leonardo, and Francesca: the four classmates who were seriously injured in the New Year's Eve fire at the 'Le Constellation' club in Crans Montana. They received initial treatment in Switzerland, were transferred to Italy, underwent intensive care, underwent numerous surgeries, and spent months in hospital at Niguarda Hospital in Milan before finally returning to school at the Virgilio High School in Milan, where they were greeted with applause this morning by their classmates.
"This morning they entered discreetly to avoid the crowds, precisely because there were thousands of people outside today. They arrived, spent the whole morning, and then left normally at their usual time," said Virgilio vice principal Mario Secone, contacted by Adnkronos at the end of the first day of school, which—he confides—"is complicated regardless."
Since the day after the fire, the school has rallied around Sofia, Kean, Leonardo, and Francesca, along with all their classmates, who were shocked by the tragedy that had involved their friends. When the students returned to class in January, they were met by a task force of emergency psychologists. "A service the Region had provided us.
The other students then continued their normal course, albeit shaken. And I know it was emotionally difficult for my class council colleagues, too,” explains Secone, repeatedly emphasizing that there was nothing “extraordinary” about the support the Milanese high school provided to the students involved in the fire: “Any other state school would have done the same. It’s not kindness, it’s the rules for situations like this. We have many students with difficult health conditions and long hospital stays, the school must do this and follow medical protocols.”
A slalom of medical appointments, physical therapy, and in-class and homework lessons that Sofia, Kean, Leonardo, and Francesca will also be tackling starting today. Another step toward the normalcy that was tragically interrupted on New Year's Eve.
In particular, today was the first day of in-person school for Francesca, the last of the students injured in the New Year's Eve fire to be discharged from the burns unit at the Milan hospital. "It was her goal" to be able to return to school with her classmates, but "it wasn't a given at all, because when she left the hospital she still had open wounds," her father, Stefano, told Adnkronos.
Note: The month at home was useful, however: "She recovered fairly quickly, her wounds are healing well, and she was able to return to school."
Today "was a special day" for Francesca, who entered class with the three friends who were injured with her in the New Year's Eve fire: Leonardo, Sofia, and Kean. "They entered with the principal and a few teachers and were greeted with initial applause. Fortunately, the teachers didn't linger too long; it was a gentle but welcoming entrance, without making too much of a fuss. Then classes continued as normal. They were very well received by their classmates and the faculty," said the 17-year-old's father at the end of the first day of classes.
"Francesca is very happy to have seen all her friends and classmates again and to be back at school. Above all, she's happy to have returned to a normal life, even if it won't be so normal, because there will be several days when she won't be able to go, having to come in later or leave earlier, due to medical appointments and physiotherapy," she says. Today, however, she's rejoicing for the "beautiful return to everyday life."
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