The children of the man who lived in Montefiorino: “They had been visiting other friends in Rome. Everything had gone well on the return trip, and he was taking Baba back home to Rubiera.”

Modena: “We don’t know how something like this could have happened. Dad was always very careful when driving. It’s impossible to know now whether it was his fault or the truck’s. The only certainty is that he’s no longer with us.” It’s 3:30 PM. Speaking with voices broken by emotion are the two adult sons of Alassan Issah (pictured left) , who also leaves behind four minor daughters. They remained in the apartment on Via Repubblica di Montefiorino (Modena) where they live with their mother, where women have been coming to offer their condolences throughout the day. The cries of his wife and daughters are heartbreaking, in the explosion of their grief.

Relatives and friends tried to console them as best they could. The men, however, met in an apartment on Viale Gramsci, expressing their two sons’ deep solidarity with the Ghanaian Islamic community. The two sons are understandably grief-stricken, wanting to live with their friends, and therefore wishing their names not to be published in the newspaper. However, they agreed to leave a public memorial for their father, who is no longer with us, and to help us better understand what happened

Dad was driving the car, having just returned from a trip to Rome with Baba Shirazu (pictured right), his lifelong friend . They were like brothers,” they say, “and had been visiting other friends in the capital. Everything went well on the return trip, and he was taking Baba home to Rubiera. We don’t know what happened; what we do know is that dad has always been very careful and responsible when driving. We’re waiting to hear from the police what happened.” Helpful clues to the dynamics of the terrible accident on the Via Emilia Ovest could also come from the testimony of the 47-year-old, the sole survivor of the car’s occupants: “He’s always been a great family friend,” the boys explain, “practically always at home here with us.” However, he remains hospitalized in critical condition in Baggiovara. And it’s not certain he remembers.

Memory and family

“Dad was always a hard worker,” the two sons emphasize, “he worked as a metalworker at Mochem Industrie in Soliera and never spared himself. He always made many sacrifices, truly many, for his large family, whom he always tried to provide for everything. What happened is terrible: he left us in an instant, without even time to say goodbye. It’s terrible.” In this terrible tragedy, the two boys know they can count on the support of the Ghanaian Islamic community: evidence of this was seen in the many people who came to embrace them yesterday afternoon on Via Gramsci, offering them their deepest sympathy and solidarity. This was evident from the many people who came to embrace them yesterday afternoon on Via Gramsci, offering them their deepest sympathy and solidarity. They also know that now, with the sudden passing of the head of the family, they will have to support their mother and guide their sisters as they grow up, which has suddenly become complicated and difficult with the passing of their father. “Now we will take care of the family,” they say confidently. “We will do everything we can to stay close to and help our mother and sisters. My father cared a lot about his family.” © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED