Istituto Tecnico per Geometri di Ancona.

Era la nostra scuola.

Anno scolastico 1990-91.

Era l'anno della nostra maturità.

E noi eravamo compagni di banco.

Bei tempi! Bei ricordi!

Tengo ancora nell'armadio la tua fascia di lana da sci che mi hai regalato e porto con me il tuo sorriso!

Ciao Vanessa!

Julian: So sad to hear about Vanessa’s passing! We have lost a dedicated, passionate project manager and engineer…let alone a dedicated mother, spouse and overall good human being! So sad!

My deepest condolences to the family in this difficult moment. Keeping you guys in my thoughts, and celebrating the legacy Vanessa has left in each soul she touched in her lifetime.

It was difficult to see someone so full of life be taken from us like Vanessa was. I will miss our discussions about the Italian administration methods, and I don't expect I'll ever have better tiramisu. We won't be able to replicate your warmth nor your desserts, but you live on as a part of us all.

Vanessa, was a positive force in the world. She was capable, compassionate and projected integrity. She was a great person to share ideas with; challenging view points with open dialogue. Her time with us was short, and she left a mark. I am thankful for the brief time I had to experience her strength and energy.

Vanessa tesoro,

Mi sembra impossibile. La lontananza fa anche questo, ti rende tutto così irreale…mi piace pensare che ci sei ancora e in un certo senso è così, per sempre nel cuore.

Ti voglio bene ❤️

Non riesco a dare a parole il senso del dolore che provo per questa perdita tragica e ingiusta. Ho davanti agli occhi la foto (che voglio ritrovare) in via Scrima, Vanessa aveva 2/3 anni, seduta sul pavimento della cameretta con abbracciando una chitarra troppo grande per lei, la ricorderò così. Sapevo da tempo della guerra che Vanessa stava combattendo, e nel mio piccolo, conoscendo la sua incredibile tenacia, avevo nutrito un po' di speranza che ne uscisse vincitrice. Un abbraccio forte a tutti voi, sicuri che Vanessa vi terrà d'occhio e vi assisterà in ogni momento delle vostre vite.

You are in my heart my darling Vany ... I can still hear your voice and warmth (and swearing).

You have left a deafening silence... I am not sure how I will cope with your absence .. but I promise I will enjoy every second I have for both of us.

I will miss you immensely but I will keep you in my heart forever until we meet again because I know we will meet again!!!!

Thanks for sharing your life with me and for being the most amazing friend I could wish for.

I love you... spread your wings and fly high my sweet butterfly .

By the way... I love you to the moon and back ..I know you hated this expression... I can still teasing you.

Here is a poem I wrote for you:

Aspetto con paura quel treno che vedo davanti a me e che mi sta per travolgere.

Ti resto vicina e ti tengo.

Lo vedo arrivare lento, serro gli occhi, mi siedo e respiro… posso solo aspettare.

Arriva svogliato, morbido e affilato.

Il dolore mi trafigge e mi culla.

Non sento più nulla.

Apro gli occhi .

Tutto è rimasto uguale.

Sento solo un gran vuoto e il silenzio è assordante, il mio cuore è polvere…

Tu non ci sei più.

Socchiudo gli occhi, respiro e ti trovo dove sei sempre stata, tu sei ancora lì e ora so che non te ne potrai mai andare…

Siamo un’unica cosa, da sempre e per sempre.

Ti lascio volare libera farfalla… non saremo mai lontane!

I am so sad to hear that Vanessa is no longer with us. She made the world brighter with her energy, sense of fun and passion.

From celebrating above the fireworks below in the Eureka Tower in Melbourne to hanging out in the snow in Canmore with our families, I always looked forward to and enjoyed the times we spent together.

You could always be certain of Vanessa's infectious warmth of spirit, her clearly-expressed views and, above all, her enormous capacity to love.

Much love and strength.

Hilary and Nadia xxxx

Vanessa, it is so hard to believe you are gone. You loved life and was so full of energy and very enthusiastic about everything. You made working with you so easy and was very passionate about work. You brought a wealth of experience and passion to the team. I will miss those times you always stopped by my office with a big smile to chat with me. You were a strong, intelligent, beautiful and kind woman whom I admire. You loved your family so much and brought a burst of energy to everyone. Rest on beautiful Vanessa until we meet again. My deepest condolences to your beautiful family!

Sempre sarai la mia stella polare, la mia bussola, il mio angelo guida. Ti ho sempre rincorsa, con la sensazione di non riuscire a raggiungerti mai… ma mi sono sempre sbagliata. In realtà siamo state sempre vicine, più di quanto immaginavamo , siamo andate oltre tutte le barriere spazio-tempo fino a spingerci oltre i confini della vita . E lì’, sorella mia, ci siamo salutate tra sorrisi e lacrime , perché sapevamo che non sarebbe stato un addio assoluto … tu ora sei luce intorno a me, vento tra i miei capelli, sei un falco che vola in cielo e una farfalla che si appoggia sulla mia spalla , come mi avevi promesso.

Ti porto con me grande Vany , sempre e per sempre .

With Love , Your Sister Cory

I was saddened to hear of the the passing of Vanessa. I worked with her at the City of Calgary before I retired in 2023. She will be missed. Last time I saw here was at the Theatre Calgary play "Made in Italy." I found a great poem that I share here with Vanessa's family and friends. It's called Gone Too Soon, and it goes something like this:

Words cannot describe the loss we feel

Saying farewell to you,

But heaven chose to give you wings

And now its time you flew.

I wish we had just one more chance

to see that tender smile,

To laugh with you again Vanessa

Just for a little while.

Gone too soon but not forgotten,

Forever you will remain,

Our guiding light, our shining star,

Until we see your face again.

Hai accompagnato alcuni passi della mia vita e ad essi resti ancorata nel ricordo di occhi luminosi, di labbra aperte al sorriso, di crucci testardi e gesti prorompenti di una danza mai sazia di essere. Dall’Italia con affetto.

Very sorry to hear about Vanessa's passing. I just started working with Vanessa at the City of Calgary over the past couple of years. She was an awesome co-worker and person. She will be deeply missed by her co-workers and work friends. Deepest condolences to her family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

“Biondina un po’ strana”, we danced through our youth. Perfectly synchronized, heavily idiosyncratic: that was our bond. The endless talks, irreverent laughs, our fears, passions and dreams. We loved life, and through growing pains we suffered too…and then talked some more. May you rest in peace my dear Vane. Until we meet again, your smiling eyes, and the “dance” of our youth will forever be in my heart. Your Iva

Vanessa, Julian, my husband and I have had many good and sometimes stressful experiences, on the side lines at soccer over the years, watching our sons play together and sometimes against each other. We as a family will always remember her encouraging her team "loudly", and with all that Italian passion. She was the queen of the fantasy football league, with my son describing her as being "insane" at it. We are extremely sad to hear of her passing and are thinking of Julian and the boys at this truly awful time.

I was fortunate to meet Vanessa several times at dinner parties hosted by mutual friends. I was immediately struck by her energy, vitality, and love of life. She was an inspiration to those around her, and my thoughts are with her husband Julian who I was also lucky to meet. She will be missed.

Vanessa was always very warm and welcoming. I loved her confidence, her sarcastic humour, and her Italian bluntness. I also admired Vanessa and Julian as a couple. I thought they were real partners. I remember Julian telling me 2 and a half years ago that Vanessa « was the only one who has ever made sense to him » and I thought that was beautiful. She will be missed so much.

Sarà per sempre una parte di me.

Un grosso abbraccio a Corinna, Patrizia e Roberto.

Un grossissimo abbraccio a Julian, Sebastian e Jude.

I met Vanessa at a conference and she was like a lightning rod of positivity. We only knew each other for a year and a half, but in that time, she added so much fun, spice, and knowledge to my world. She was, honestly, an 11/10 human being. I am so, so sorry for your loss. She loved her husband and boys above all else. This is not fair. May her legacy live on through her family.

La joie de vivre, le camminate e i té, le canzoni a squarciagola, qualche discussione infiammata, la forza rocciosa, l’energia inesauribile, l’amore per tutto, la curiositá, la voglia di combattere, la generositá, il senso di giustizia, e tutte le cose piú belle dell’essere un’italiana cosmopolita.

Non so come fará, questo mondo, senza queste cose. Ma so che Julian, Sebastian, Jude, Patrizia, Roberto, Corinna con Alex e le ragazze, le centinaia di amici che hai incantato con il tuo calore e tutti noi le terremo sempre con noi. Che gioia averti come amica.

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day…

I am so sorry that Vanessa is gone and my deepest condolences to her family who were her number one priority. Vanessa and I worked closely together at The City of Calgary just before she went on leave and I will miss her spirit and spunk. Vanessa was an amazing project manager and was always willing to help others - bringing her experience and practicality to the issues and problems they were facing. She was always challenging the status quo and pushing everyone to do better. I'll never forget her smile, her laugh and her genuineness. Vanessa knew the value of strong relationships and staying connected with others. I will miss her dearly but know that someday we'll see each other again.

Goodbye beautiful Vanessa. I am honoured to have known you. I will miss for ever your huge heart and your wisdom , your energy and passion. Thank you for your kindness and care . You were an inspiration to me.My love and condolences to Julian , Sebastian and Jude.

My deepest condolences to Vanessa's family, especially her children and husband Julian and her parents. Since coming to Calgary Van and Julian demonstrated nothing but kindness and support which I will always remember. Van I will remember our discussions about cinema, books and art. I have so much admiration for you and your brave heart, will miss you my Friend. Goodbye Van! you will be remembered!

Goodbye Vanessa, even though we hadn’t seen each other in many years, my memories of you remain vivid—your energy, strength, and determination. With your creativity, intelligence, and love for life, you made those around you very happy. You are leaving us far too soon. A huge hug to Julian and your children.

My sincerest condolences to Julian, Sebastian, Jude, Patrizia, Roberto, and Corinna. Vanessa was a phenomenal woman, a fierce friend, and her love and generosity of spirit were an inspiration to me. I will miss her so very much.

Sei stata la mia prima amica qui a Calgary, era il 2012 e i nostri figli, in classe insieme alle elementari, sono tutt’ora come due fratelli. Abbiamo avuto alti e bassi perché’ le nostre personalità’ erano entrambe forti e passionali. Grazie x avermi cercato e rivoluto fortemente nella tua vita; quella terrena non c’è più’ per te, ma nel nostro universo meditativo so che ci vedremo ancora perché’ la tua energia e’ tanta! Ti voglio bene, Anna