Accessible video transcript
[00:00–00:10]
[We are in the hills of Barolo, in the province of Cuneo. Veronica Ruggieri and Matteo Casavecchia are inside an Alfa Romeo Tonale.]
[00:10]
Veronica: Matteo, welcome! How are you?
[00:11]
Matteo: I’m good, thank you.
[00:13]
Veronica: Today I’m taking you to a wonderful area. Just look at these hills around us.
[00:17]
Matteo: Beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever been here.
[00:19]
Veronica: Really? Is this your first time?
[00:20]
Matteo: First time ever.
[00:21]
Veronica: So we’re not just going to look out the window—I’ve planned something pretty fun for you.
[00:28–00:31]
[The car parks by the roadside on a country lane among vineyards. Veronica and Matteo get out. Matteo gets into his wheelchair and they meet a man.]
[00:38]
Veronica: Do you have any idea what we’re doing today?
[00:40]
Giovanni: I already know it’s going to be tiring.
[00:42]
Veronica: Ask Giovanni. Nice to meet you, I’m Veronica.
[00:45]
Giovanni: Hi, nice to meet you. We’re going to take a ride with these handbikes here in the Langhe of Barolo, and it’s going to be amazing.
[00:52]
Veronica: Let’s go?
[00:52]
Giovanni: Let’s go.
[00:53–00:56]
[Veronica and Matteo get onto two handbikes and are assisted by Giovanni.]
[00:57]
Giovanni: Perfect.
[00:58]
Veronica: But do you trust us, Giovanni?
[01:00]
Giovanni: Yes! By pressing this button, the motor starts and we can go.
[01:05]
Veronica: Shall I go?
[01:06]
Giovanni: Let’s go, come on.
[01:07]
Matteo: Let’s go.
[01:08]
Giovanni: Go easy!
[01:09]
Veronica: Oh no, the step!
[01:10]
Giovanni: Go, go, go—you’re ready.
[01:16]
Veronica: How is it? Difficult?
[01:17]
Matteo: Yeah, quite.
[01:19]
Veronica: Are you sporty?
[01:20]
Matteo: Yes, absolutely. For me sport is life. It helps me mentally and physically.
[01:27]
Veronica: You had your accident when you were 18.
[01:29]
Matteo: Yes, my life changed completely.
[01:31]
Veronica: What happened?
[01:32]
Matteo: A pool accident. I broke two vertebrae and suffered a spinal cord injury.
[01:38]
Veronica: What was your first reaction?
[01:42]
Matteo: Total confusion, because it was unexpected, all of a sudden.
[01:47]
Veronica: And when you realized it?
[01:49]
Matteo: Over time, I went through some dark moments, but I never showed it to others because I could already see my family suffering.
[01:59]
Veronica: And what did you tell yourself?
[02:01]
Matteo: That I had to face every challenge life put in front of me. It was essential.
[02:07]
Veronica: And did you start right away?
[02:09]
Matteo: Right away, because I spent a lot of time in hospital and rehabilitation, so every day was a challenge.
[02:14]
Matteo: I really grew a lot and started appreciating the small things. My first coffee, my first meal after the accident—I used to dream about them. The sun on my face… all things you don’t appreciate until you lose them.
[02:30]
Matteo: You understand what really matters.
[02:33]
Veronica: And what matters to you now?
[02:35]
Matteo: Building a family, and then trying to raise awareness about disability.
[02:42]
Matteo: Because many people think disability means the end of life. Instead, you can do everything—completely everything—without limits.
[02:49]
Veronica: Even a race with me right now.
[02:52]
Veronica: 3, 2, 1, go!
[02:56–02:57]
[Veronica and Matteo push forward on the handbike, smiling, while a wide shot shows the rolling hillside landscape.]
Watch the other episodes
Season 3 -
With Veronica Ruggeri
