Home Storie da raccontare The thrill of flight with Vanni Oddera and Alessio Carozza

The thrill of flight with Vanni Oddera and Alessio Carozza

Alessio describes himself as “a capable guy.” And when he says it, you can read on his face the irony of someone who has managed to face trauma with enormous courage and tenacity. In this episode of Storie da raccontare, Vanni Oddera meets Alessio Carozza, who suffered the amputation of his left leg after a road accident. After various operations, Alessio took his life back into his own hands, and today his greatest joy is seeing the smile of Elena, his partner's daughter, who has a disability and dreams of a technological prosthesis that would allow Alessio to take her everywhere. For Alessio, driving represents a powerful form of freedom — and Vanni is about to take that feeling even further, surprising him with the thrill of indoor flight.

Accessible video transcript

[00:00–00:10]

[Vanni Oddera and Alessio Carozza get into an Alfa Romeo Tonale. During the conversation, Alessio drives along scenic roads around a lake.]

[00:10]

Vanni: Ale, how would you describe yourself? In two words, huh?

[00:13]

Alessio: A stand-up guy!

[00:14]

Vanni: Fantastic.

[Vanni and Alessio laugh.]

[00:17]

Vanni: What happened to your leg?

[00:18]

Alessio: Ten years ago I had a road accident and I lost it in an open manhole, a manhole that had been left open.

[00:26]

Vanni: Is there something that pushes you every day to face difficulties?

[00:32]

Alessio: Elena’s smile.

[00:34]

Vanni: Who is Elena?

[00:35]

Alessio: Elena is my partner’s daughter, who has a disability.

[00:35]

Vanni: What’s your relationship with driving?

[00:37]

Alessio: Driving is important to me because it gives me freedom and makes me feel free.

Vanni: It’s like wings for you, it lets you fly away.

[Alessio nods]

[00:50]

Vanni: What’s your biggest wish?

[00:51]

Alessio: I’d love to have a high-tech prosthesis so I can push Elena and take her anywhere, with fewer limitations, with fewer difficulties.

[01:02]

Vanni: So far you’ve been driving me, but now are you ready to do what I say?

[01:06]

Alessio: I can’t wait.

[01:08–01:25]

[Alessio takes part in an indoor skydiving experience at an aerogravity facility. He moves within the airflow and smiles during the activity. Then the car is seen setting off again.]

Watch the other episodes

Season 1 -

With Vanni Oddera

S1 - E6

The thrill of flight with Vanni Oddera and Alessio Carozza

A volcanic experience for Vanni Oddera and Jacopo Gullà

A dive into freedom with Vanni Oddera and Benedetta De Luca

On Lake Como, Vanni Oddera meets Andreea in a story of rare resilience

The thrill of flight with Vanni Oddera and Alessio Carozza

A climb toward autonomy with Vanni Oddera and Riccardo Aldighieri

When difficulty turns into positivity: Vanni Oddera meets Laura Miola