Davide Astori’s mother is preparing her first Christmas without him after the Fiorentina captain’s sudden death. “I don’t want someone to blame, I just want to know why.”
The Italy international died in his sleep while in the team hotel the night before a Serie A match against Udinese on March 4.
He was only 31 years old and multiple tests are still struggling to explain what happened.
Davide Astori’s mother is preparing her first Christmas without him after the Fiorentina captain’s sudden death. “I don’t want someone to blame, I just want to know why.”
The Italy international died in his sleep while in the team hotel the night before a Serie A match against Udinese on March 4.
He was only 31 years old and multiple tests are still struggling to explain what happened.
“I have another two children, so it is my duty to be strong for them too,” explained Anna Astori in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.
“That morning, my husband and I were meant to go to church and then on to vote, as it was the day of the election. However, when I woke up, it was like I felt my arms were paralysed, cold, my body empty, a sensation I’d never felt before.
“I didn’t know yet what had happened, but in a way, I already knew everything.”
There is an investigation ongoing to see if the signs of a cardiac issue could’ve been spotted earlier.
“I don’t want someone to blame, because I am sure there isn’t anyone who can be blamed. I just want to know why. What happened was a tragedy, it was fate, I know, and nobody wanted this to happen.
“At the same time, I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this. I want to make sure we learn from it and this never happens again.
“The checks on athletes in Italy are very thorough, but they need to be even better. I don’t want my Davide’s sacrifice to be in vain.”
Astori’s family is now preparing for their first Christmas without him, including his baby daughter Vittoria and his partner Francesca.
“Francesca is such a great mother that I can’t even explain it to you. The other day, her grandfather was reading La Gazzetta dello Sport and there was a photo of Manuel Pasqual hugging Astori. Vittoria pointed and exclaimed: ‘That’s my Daddy!’”