The Indian poet, Drishti Bablani, once stated that: “Life is a Long Journey between Human Being and Being Human.”
Although at a first glance, the two statements may sound similar, “being human” is something entirely different compared to simply being “a human being”.
The ending part of the quote entails that life’s long journey is supposed to bring all people to evolve in some type of way, for being is a gerund verb indicating constant progression.
Therefore, it is understood that in order to be human one must progress.
Then, to be human is to be both “ordinary” and yet add a lot of “extra” to that ordinary at the same time.
Said in more simple terms, being human is also to say “not all heroes wear capes”.
It is to say, that to be human one must be “extraordinary” in their humanity.
This is why this column is dedicated to sharing stories about our fellow humans who did and are doing everything in their lives in order to make both themselves and humanity evolve towards more positive horizons.
This column is dedicated to our fellow humans who believe in the positive progress of the Self and in the positive progress of man-kind.
This column is dedicated to our “everyday heroes”.
Everyday Heroes: Carlo Eugenio Corrado
“....You will find my heart and my love pure. Wipe your tears and do not cry...If you love me.”
These are some words taken from St. Augustine’s “If you love me, do not cry” that Carlo Eugenio Corrado sent to his family and friends before passing away on July 4th 2019 due to terminal cancer.
Carlo Eugenio was born on July 21, 1960 in Italy, son of Gabriella Borghesi and Rosario Corrado.
Since a young age, he would engage himself in volunteer works, helping refugees of many kinds.
In 1980, he would offer his services to the survivors of the Valnerina earthquake in Italy.
In the 1980s he would join civil services to help disabled people.
By 1982, his love of life would lead him to find the love of his life at the tender age of 21.
That year he would marry Michela Dei Bardi, their union giving life to 6 children, and a continued passion for joining projects for the well-being of man-kind.
In fact, as his sisters Giuliana and Cecilia Corrado recall their brother, “Carlo Eugenio’s positive mindset had always been characterized by a love for peace, faith, and forgiveness. He cared about facing failures and challenges in a constructive manner...
He would help both acquaintances and strangers on how to develop hope for a better tomorrow”.
Carlo Eugenio’s union with his wife would generate a home with open doors to those in need.
In fact, in their early 30’s, the couple would host, in their home, a young girl whose mother was serving jail time.
With discretion, presence, and open ears, Michela and Carlo Eugenio would always care for the healthy upbringing of children even by recruiting volunteers to join community cinema clubs where kids could socialize and discuss topics.
Throughout their marriage, Carlo Eugenio and Michela would also create a space for family and couples’ counseling in order to encourage communication and resolution as opposed to “giving up” on a significant other.
From 1978 until 2016, Carlo Eugenio would regularly donate his blood to AVIS – an Italian association of blood donors, driven by his passion to help those in need.
At 33 years of age, Carlo Eugenio would learn about a European Data Bank, and their research on bone marrow transplants.
His bone marrow would give a positive match of compatibility to the DNA of a young German boy who suffered from Leukemia.
This event would mark both a scientific progress in addition to a civil act since bone marrow donations used to occur mostly between blood-related people before then.
This was, therefore, one of the first bone marrow interventions operated on non-blood-related individuals in the European region.
The young boy survived thanks to this operation and sent an anonymous letter to Carlo Eugenio through specialized hospital agencies in order to thank him.
Besides being generous, Carlo Eugenio’s personality was also characterized by a unique sense of humor.
As one of his sisters, Giuliana Corrado, describes him, “he was jovial, always ready to crack a joke to brighten spirits”.
She underlines how “in family reunions or with friends, he would always use his sense of humor to bring joy and to make sure everyone was included socially.”
Carlo Eugenio Corrado was someone so human that he added a lot of “extra” to the “ordinary”.
He was not only an extraordinary Human Being, but he was extraordinary at Being Human.
EVMO News celebrates Carlo Eugenio as a monumental Everyday Hero, may his legacy inspire.
For the italian version of the article, click the following: www.evmonews.com/everyday-heroes/ and download pdf file
Per la versione in italiano, cliccare: www.evmonews.com/everyday-heroes e scaricare il pdf