philadelphia auto auction |Antonella Mariani. Philadelphia, charity auction for the 500L of the Pope

Antonella Mariani. Philadelphia, charity auction for the 500L of the Pope




Philadelphia, charity auction for the 500L of the Pope
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The black Fiat 500L had stopped suddenly. Pope Francis had come down, he had approached the waiting crowd and had caressed and then kissed on the forehead a 10-year-old boy, Michael, suffering from cerebral palsy. It happened last September, when the Pope arrived in Philadelphia, the last leg of his trip to Cuba and the United States. That "Italian" car was taken over by television stations all over the world and seen by billions of people; then it was made available to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. January 29 will be auctioned during a gala evening dedicated to raising funds for charity. The proceeds will go to support the child neurology department of the city's pediatric hospital. The "open" circle from the tender caresses of the Pope, descended from the black car, to the little Michael closes with a charity auction. In fact there is also another ending of this story: the child's parents had been interviewed by many journalists and had told their daily difficulties, including that of moving with the little nailed to his heavy wheelchair. The Washington Post had launched a subscription that triggered a solidarity contest throughout the United States. Among the most generous contributors is J.J. Abrams, the director of the last Star Wars, with an offer of 50 thousand dollars. Now Michael and his family travel in a van with a lifting platform to load the wheelchair on board. A car, in its own way, famous. Like the Pope's black 500L.