“How are you?” “Still alive.” It is 7:16 p.m. on August 30. This would be the last message from Ferdinand Nokaj, the 25-year-old of Albanian origin, born in Fano, who lived with his family in Colli al Metauro. That evening, Ferdinand disappeared.
The next day, his brother reported him missing to the Carabinieri. Five days later, on September 5, his body was found on the banks of the Adige River, about 42 kilometers from Rovereto. But no one had yet identified him as Ferdinand and the family continued to search for him for another 20 days. The father traveled back and forth to Trentino, unaware that his son was already in the morgue of the Santa Chiara hospital in Trento. He only recognized him on September 25, last Friday.
3 hours before that "still alive" message, Ferdinand had told his family that he had been attacked in Rovereto by some Albanian youths. He had marks on his face and above all, fear. His father had told him to go immediately to the carabinieri. "I'm thinking the same, dad," Ferdinand had replied.
There is no record that he went there. At 5:21 p.m., he spoke to his brother again from the train station in Rovereto. His brother thinks he wanted to go home. At 7:16 p.m., he asks him how he is and gets the answer: "Still alive."
Ferdinand then stopped responding. The Trento Prosecutor's Office is investigating the young man's death and has opened a criminal case for incitement to suicide.
Ferdinandi was born in Fano. His family lives in Colli al Metauro. He has lived in Rovereto for 5 years, where he was studying for a master's degree in Cognitive Sciences at the Faculty of Psychology. During the summer, he worked in a pizzeria. On August 30, his parents were in Albania. His father says that Ferdinandi, that afternoon, had told him that he had had a fight with some Albanian boys and had been attacked.
After the attack, Ferdinand also posted a photo on Instagram. The marks were visible on the boy's face. The next day, his brother went to the Carabinieri in Fano and reported him missing. It is not known how Ferdinand made it 64 km further to Rovereto. He was carrying a light shoulder bag.
His father and mother interrupted their vacation in Albania and arrived in Rovereto. The family continued to search tirelessly until they received the devastating news. ©LAPSI.al
