He made a mistake when he was younger. And Francesco affirms it without shame, accepting the past and his current condition, the consequence of that mistake. Addictions, bad habits, deviant friendships. But when you grow up without a guide, and out of control, it's easy to slip, it's easy to break windows in a courtyard out of pure emulation.
As soon as he was twenty he faced the prison, and there his life changed. He understood the mistakes, without justification, and he worked hard, deciding that once he left the jail he would change Country and way of life. So he went to London to see a childhood friend, but the addiction - and no matter what kind of addiction - took over.
He couldn't get his ducks in a row and find a place in the world. He starts wandering around Europe, with difficulty, without any goals, aimlessly. Years pass and Francesco gets older. His muscles get tired. But his eyes increasingly curious to see something else. Being a nomad was a a curse, and a salvation.
«In any case, I have had so much in life: it has always forgiven me for every mistake. Now I try to get busy for others, even if only with words of comfort, with what little I have»
Then Turin. «I'm tired of moving, I like Turin, it reminds me home». Today, the place he calls home is a portico in piazza Carlo Felice, or in via Roma. He asks for a cigarette, tells us about his new friends. He is popular with everyone: he works for others, shares what he has with those in his own situation.
«It could have been worse - he says - I was helped a lot. Now I want to give back. I have little to give, but for me alone, sometimes, it is too much».
Discover the other SuperHeroes
*Each story is the result of the mixture of different stories that we heard during the investigation, in order to preserve the privacy of those who have decided to also offer wrinkles, eyes and smiles, which already have a lot to say.