Hello good friend

Francesco Daniele Orlando is one of the many good friends who make the Arsenale feel like home every day for so many people. Francesco worked at the airport, but he organized his shifts so as not to miss a single minute of the activities with Felicizia's children.
He dreamed this would become his job and was just one exam away from completing his degree in education. Now, he continues to protect and be close to all the children and all of us from Heaven.

Just yesterday you were here, holding my son Matteo in your arms, scribbling whales and lions on a blackboard and begging for his embrace. Have you really left forever, and won't you arrive here today, like every other day, before the children?
If God exists, he must love us, as you loved every little inhabitant of Felicizia, asking for shifts at the airport specifically to be with them, more important to you than money, time, or the world, happy only because they were happy. You, who were always there, who stayed every evening to say goodbye to the last child, turn off the last light, put even the last ball to sleep.
"May your soul rest in perfect peace," wrote the mother of a child, Michael, to whom you were a friend, brother, father, whom you took by the hand and led to discover life. How much you still had to live. I thought we would have time.
To see you become an educator and pedagogue, maybe even a father one day, to celebrate new milestones and new arrivals on the terrace you had reserved for your birthday.
You were an Angel fallen to Earth, Friend of all children, you didn't believe in God, but you seemed to have stepped out of a page of the Gospel, of this giant Arsenal, not a stone would exist without people like you.
Goodbye Friend Francesco, good and generous Friend, every time we sit in a circle, we will leave an empty seat for you, we will close our eyes and think of how much we enjoyed ourselves with you.
To a blue, yellow, and red scarf, to a team of squids and magnets, to a pool full of sharks stealing vans, to a game of dodgeball between men and women. To you, who turned off all the lights so we could hide better and then ran to the airport to fly people from one place to another on Earth.
To you, who now watches us from up there, crying, laughing, and crying again, from a city above the clouds where everyone is happy and loves each other, just like you wanted.
To when we held the same dream and the same promise together, shouting to the world that we would always be friends.

Dear Francesco, I miss you so much, and when I found out yesterday that you were no longer here, I started crying. I will never forget you and our goodbyes, the ones from the heart. Remember that you are in my heart, in a little box dedicated to you.
Safaa

You know I miss you so much, and I hope you'll never give up because we'll never give up either.
Arwa

I feel your hand on my shoulder when we did homework together. I love you and I want to give you a tight hug. I never want to let go.
Diaa

I love you whether you're beautiful, ugly, alive, or dead. Remember, I always love you, I adore you, I want to see you again, Francesco. I'll never forget you. You're the person who, when I couldn't do something, would come and tell me, "Never give up!" And then I always made it. Thank you, Francesco. Everyone at Sermig loves you and always will.
Khadim

I don't know if you'll ever be able to read this thought... You greeted me with a heart, and I greeted you in return with a fist.
Marwa

I'm so sad you're gone, but we all want you to be with us again. We'll never stop, and we'll always love you and remain friends forever. We love you, Francesco.
Aby

Marco Grossetti
NP May 2025