Living in a relatively small mountain community also means that a death is too often the death of someone one knew, someone one often met up with on a regular basis and had a chat with.

This year had been somewhat harsh regarding not just people that we knew but also friends and relatives. On my wife’s side of the family this has been a year of grievous losses, all the more because in the majority of cases they have been so unexpected: it’s especially heartbreaking when a death has occurred at a young age and where a road accident has been the reason.

Of course we all know we are going to die. But when? And where? And how? These are the questions that truly lead to painful cogitation.

Valerio Ceccarelli, the president of Bagni di Lucca’s pro-loco, the borough’s organization for arranging events and publicity, stood at the centre of Bagni di Lucca’s public relations. In particular Valerio was instrumental in getting our wonderful early nineteenth century casino to be the hub of many important occasions.

Several of these have formed part of my posts: for example, the Shelley Project, the Fini photographic exhibition, the arts shows and the chess tournaments involving grand master Gasparov.

We would often pass the casino on our way to Villa and find Valerio standing outside the elegant façade meeting visitors and arranging events. Not only was he an energetic organiser but he was a versatile photographic documenter of local events, few of which escaped his rigorous attention. In this respect it seems only the other day that I was chatting to Valerio about his new SLR of which he was particularly proud.

Casting my mind back I realise I’d known Valerio for many, many years. Among my photographs is this one taken in 2012 when a book of his poems with illustrations by Kety Bastiani was presented at the town hall.

With its dedication this lovely volume now has an added poignant place in my library.

Valerio had a multi-faceted personality: organizer, advisor, photographer, co-operator. These sides of him came together in star qualities which are becoming ever rarer in these ego-flaunting times. Among these were his honesty, his honorableness and his humility. One example is enough to demonstrate this. When in 2012 I won two prizes in a poetry competition held at Bagni di Lucca Valerio congratulated me although I realised my entries had placed his own contribution to the competition in second place.

I think that Valerio was fully resigned to his own personal and family hardships which, besides health issues, involved the death of a beloved son. I enjoyed reading his maxims on facebook. I felt secure in knowing that he was at the helm of so many events in our borough. I was glad that I had met and known Valerio and could trust him as a friend.

It’s going to be a different and surely a sadder world without Valerio. They say no-one is indispensable but with the disappearance of this amazing person it’s going to be a very hard act to follow.

Goodbye dear Valerio. At least you’ll be able to join your son and the memory of your generous character will continue to warm our hearts.