I’ll never forget November third of 2009, the day when another car crashed into the one I happened to be in. On that chilly November day, the life I had ended, and I was offered a new one that looked nothing like the one I lived before. I didn’t want it. This new chance at life was ugly and frightening. I hated it deeply, and I only reluctantly accepted it… fighting for survival on a day-to-day basis. I later understood that what I perceived as “ugly” could become beautiful if you knew how to wear it and flaunt it. But first I had to live through seven hard years of continuous depression, feeding on dreams and delusional hopes. I was waiting for a miracle to make me feel alive again and bring me back to the world I knew before all this.
My imagination, “my world,” was my escape, the only thing that made me feel good. I wished for so many things, but I never did anything to fight for my dreams. I just allowed them to be unfulfilled, impossible wishes as my mind wandered far away, across the ocean. My mind most often took me to San Diego, California, the place that embodied my paradise. That’s where I carefully fabricated my perfect life, a life of dance, love, and happiness.
This “American dream” started, along with my new life, while I was looking for a cure, or a treatment, that would bring me back to who I was before that wretched accident. I never took the time to understand or appreciate that the “me” after that horrible event could be the best version of myself that ever existed.
I didn’t know that I would one day fulfill this wish. On a different November day in the year 2017, I would embark on the journey of my life, and live the American dream. I went from Milano to San Diego, without having any clue what waited for me there or what was to happen. In fact, I knew nothing was waiting for me. I had made no plans whatsoever. I just took my bike and my luggage and hit the road…
I would love to start my story there, in the Malpensa airport, with the first day of my wondrous adventure. However, to get to the dreams, we must first traverse the nightmares… and so begins the story of my life.
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“Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
Dad would often pause his work in the vineyards, resting in the shade with a bottle of wine to catch his breath. Mom, a homemaker, was always bustling around the yard until the sun got too hot. Then, she’d retreat to the shade with her own bottle of whatever was handy.
I grew up close to nature, learning early what hard work really means. My childhood, like many of yours, was a blend of challenges, hardships, and a few too many bruises—both physical and emotional—but also unforgettable moments that shaped who I am today.
Life had its own twists. I married young and had a baby, but in 2009, my husband and I went our separate ways and finalized the divorce a few years later. Today, I’m a proud mom of a young soldier serving in the Romanian Army. And I have to say, he’s smart, charming, and ridiculously good-looking—just like his mom! :))
My life took a sharp turn one November day when a car accident in Italy left me paralyzed from the chest down. The early years were unbearably tough, and accepting this new reality was a battle of its own. But from the depths of my soul, I found a strength I never knew I had, and it’s that strength that pushed me to keep going.
Even though I didn’t get the chance to finish high school, I later discovered writing as a form of release. Through my stories, I’ve had the privilege of touching readers’ hearts. I published a memoir, Memoirs of a Woman, and a novel I’m particularly proud of, A Miserable Life. It explores love, betrayal, and suffering—themes that define much of my journey. Right now, I’m working on the second volume, Hidden Truths. I don’t write for fame or awards; my only goal is to connect with people on a deeper level.
I’ve got other milestones to share as well. After being confined to a wheelchair in November 2009, and enduring years of depression, I had the chance to collaborate with the Iulia Barton agency and walk the runway at Milan Fashion Week from 2016 to 2019. These experiences helped me rediscover my own beauty and come to terms with my physical limitations.
And wait, there’s more! Sports became another passion of mine. Cycling, in particular, gave me a newfound sense of freedom. I competed in several paracycling races across Europe, and in 2017, I won the Giro d’Italia Handbike in the WH3 category. I even traveled to California with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), where I spent a few months and participated in some incredible events. Health issues during the pandemic made me step away from cycling for a while, but this past April, I completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon in my wheelchair alongside Paws2RescueUK. I have to admit, those years of racing—feeling the wind on my face as I pedaled with my arms—were some of the best of my life.
Today, I look toward the future with confidence. I’m excited to keep doing meaningful work, pursuing my writing career, and facing any obstacles head-on. Or, as my grandma used to say, “I’ve got all the tricks up my sleeve!”
If you’re interested in my books, you can find them on Amazon. Your feedback is welcome—whether it’s praise or critique, I value it all. xx