'Guido never lost his love for Ireland'

AN ITALIAN man who was left paraplegic after an unprovoked bottle attack in Ireland back in 1999 died yesterday.

- BY NICOLA DONNELLY and NICK BRAMHILL

Guido Nasi, who was 17 when he was attacked in Dublin, suffered a heart attack in his native Turin.

It was his first time abroad when he went to Ireland to study English.

But he suffered catastrophic injuries when he was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a thug armed with a bottle in Fairview Park.

Despite being paralysed from the neck down and requiring round-the-clock care, Guido maintained a deep affection for Ireland and even dreamed of moving here.

In 2019 he did return and was hosted by then President Michael D Higgins at a special reception at Aras an Uachtarain. Mr Higgins said: "His presence here is an indication of the almost infinite power of forgiveness and of courage and of resilience and of hope and belief in the human spirit."