A 73-year-old painter from Palermo, Momò Calascibetta, died at the Sant’Antonio Abate hospital in Trapani after contracting the West Nile mosquito virus two months ago. There was nothing for him to do, although the doctors immediately determined that it was “Nile Fever”, which was later confirmed by the analyses.
On August 15, the man, who had no particular pathologies, was hospitalized for respiratory failure. Then his condition worsened and he ended up in intensive care. It is the first death for West Nile in Sicily. The man lived in Marsala.
This is the heartbreaking farewell of Momò Calascibetta, published on his Facebook page: “Dear friends, it has been a difficult two months. It will seem ridiculous, but in August a mosquito knocked me out. Mosquitoes have never done anything very bad to me. At first I did not associate my complaints with the mosquito bite. I thought it was Covid, maybe a new variant, the swabs didn’t detect it, but nothing: even taking the appropriate medication, the fever didn’t go and the fatigue increased. Suddenly I lost consciousness. I was in the hospital with my wife and son by my side. I wanted to tell them so many things, but I couldn’t speak. I could only communicate with my eyes how much I wanted her too. I fought my toughest battle against an unknown enemy. The doctors didn’t know what it was. They only gave me transfusions and helped me breathe. It had to be something else. i serious but i wanted to live. I wanted to keep painting, keep telling my story to the world. I felt close to the love of Enza and Filippo and my closest friends who called them every day. I couldn’t give up. The diagnosis finally came. I was the first Sicilian case of West Nile fever. I think the newspapers talked about it too. A disease that is not usually fatal but is sometimes very insidious.
“And unfortunately my body didn’t react well – the artist continued -. My spirit was there, but I couldn’t move. My internal organs didn’t work either. In the hospital, they all tried, but there are none. I flew away and will discover other things I am writing to you now, lending the hands of Enza, Filippo, Andrea and my closest friends, to tell you that I am not dead, my body is dead, it is ashes, the same ashes, which I have sprinkled on my head and many other people’s heads with fun, but my spirit lives.Whenever one of my paintings will snatch a tear, a smile, a bitter laugh from you, I will be with you.. I have no intention to leave you There are still so many things I still have to do: two finished exhibitions, a catalogue, a momography… Of course I won’t be able to be there physically, but in spirit, I promise I’ll be there . This isn’t goodbye, just goodbye. Life is beautiful, and artists never die.” Those who wish to say goodbye to him can do so on Wednesday from 11 a.m. until closing time at his home in Marsala.
This is the message of the Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla: “With Momò Calascibetta – he said – a painter and a personality go outside the box. He was strongly connected to life, but unfortunately he had to surrender to this fight. To his family and his family. My heartfelt affection goes to my memory and my sincere condolences.”