Chiara Nava “ Don't wait another day, don't postpone the journey you've dreamed of, ” and make sure that when death comes, “ you find yourself alive .” These had become a sort of life philosophy for Valentina Stragliotto , 27, originally from Bassano del Grappa, in the province of Vicenza. The young woman lost her life on September 24 in Sri Lanka , where she was traveling with a friend.
The tragedy occurred in the Ella area, at the Ravana waterfall: Valentina was on a boulder in the upper part of the waterfall when she lost her balance, falling for over 30 metres.
Immediately rescued, the 27-year-old was taken to Demodara Hospital. However, the injuries she sustained in the fall were very serious, and she died upon admission.
The local police are currently investigating the accident, having been called upon to reconstruct what happened in the moments leading up to the fall.
Who was Valentina Stragliotto: from rhythmic gymnastics to life as a digital nomad?
Valentina was well-known in Bassano del Grappa. After attending hotel management school in Castelfranco Veneto, she practiced rhythmic gymnastics for several years with the Junior 2000 club , before leaving Veneto to pursue her career abroad.
After earning a bachelor's degree in France and a postgraduate degree in England, she moved to Brighton , where she began working in digital marketing . Her work focused on website optimization, online advertising, and multichannel strategies.
About a year ago, however, Valentina decided to change direction once again. She created Aligned & Free , a coaching project dedicated to self-confidence, through which she helped professionals struggling with career changes and personal insecurities. Among the topics addressed were impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and the need for approval. Around that same time, she chose to give up the stability she'd achieved in England to travel the world and work as a digital nomad , sharing her experiences on social media. In one of her latest videos, she reflected on the need to not put off what makes us happy: " We live under the illusion that we have all the time in the world to do the things we love, and we keep putting them off, saying we'll do them tomorrow. But that day never comes ."
The grief of the family and the community of Bassano del Grappa
Valentina's passion for travel had also led her to become one of the coordinators of WeRoad , a platform specializing in organizing group trips. Her knowledge of several languages had allowed her to accompany numerous travelers to various parts of the world . The news of the tragedy also left her colleagues shocked. " We are shocked; we had no idea something so terrible had happened to her, " one of them said. For the time being, the family has chosen silence. " We don't feel like talking ," her parents, Fabio Stragliotto and Barbara Zarpellon, said.
Valentina's former classmate Rafael Marchese also remembered her , sharing on social media that he remained friends with her even after school and that he followed her career abroad. " She still had a lot to give. I want to remember her with a smile ," he wrote.
Condolences were also expressed by the mayor of Bassano del Grappa, Nicola Finco , who expressed his closeness to the family: “ Young people are precious and their disappearance is a great wound for the entire community .”