Watch the Full Match:
April 24th, 2012: FIPAV celebrated this day as Bovo Day! A special day to remember and honor the late Vigor Bovolenta.
A special match was held featuring the past and current Italian players like Savani, Zaytsev, Cisolla, Parodi, Mastrangelo, Papi, Travica and many more.
Watch This:
The most unforgettable part of the event would have to be the very first public appearance of Vigor’s wife and kids. Alessandro, the eldest, seems to have inherited the love for volleyball which his father had. He participated in the match and even got an ACE!
Excuse us but we got teary eyed viewing the pics. For someone so young like the 7 year old Alessandro, it takes a lot of strength to live in this world without a dad. It breaks our heart that Vigor is no longer with us but we know that he’s at a better place now watching over his family and of course the volleyball community.
His kids will carry on his volleyball legacy.
We miss you Bovo!
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APRIL 11th, 2012 UPDATE: During the Italian league match last April 1st between Casa Modena and Lannutti Cuneo, players from both teams took time to remember Bovolenta. Matt Anderson, Angel Dennis, Andrea Sala and the rest of their Modena teammates wore their jerseys with “Bovolenta” on it.
Here are some pics:
We still can’t believe his gone.
=(
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March 28th, 2012 UPDATE: Vigor Bovolenta has been laid to rest earlier today in Rovigo, Italia. Vigor’s former teammates Giombini, Samuele Papi, Cristian Savani, Rosalba and Hristo Zlatanov carried his casket covered with Italian flag as it entered the church where his parents, sister, 4 children and wife, Federica Lisio, waited.
This image from ilmessaggero.it brought tears to our eyes.
Spotted among the hundreds of mourners were Coach Julio Velasco, Coach Andrea Anastasi, Andrea Luchetta and Andrea Gardini.
RIP Vigor.
***
The Volleyball World is mourning…
Gone too soon.
Last March 24th, Italian middle blocker and two time Olympian Vigor Bovolenta passed away during a volleyball match due to a heart attack.
The 37 year old at first complained of having difficulty breathing and that he felt like fainting. After he served the ball during the 3rd set, he collpased. Paramedics came to the rescue but failed to revive him. Vigor was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Vigor leaves his wife and 4 children.
A few iconic volleyball personalities have paid tribute to the 1996 Olympic silver medalist and 1995 European Champion.
“I don’t understand this life. How someone so young and so full of life could be taken from us so soon. It was an honor to play with you and pleasure to be your friend. Thanks for all the rides to practice. I will pray for your family. Good bye, Bovo.” -American setter and former teammate, Lloy Ball.
“Cheguei na Itália em 2004, lá fiquei por 4 anos. Conheci uma pessoa pelo qual carregarei essa amizade por toda minha vida! VIGOR BOVOLENTA!!! Simplesmente BOVO!!foi uma das pessoas que me ajudaram em tudo lá! BOVO era brincalhão, guerreiro, amigo e mais que isso, era MIO FRATELLO!! BOVO deixo aqui um beijo nel TUO CUORE! e o pq nosso DEUS te levou tão cedo ao céu só ELE sabe! vai em paz meu amigo! Levarei nossa amizade até um dia que nos encontrarmos no céu! do seu FRATELLO BRAZILIANO.” -Brazilian Libero and former comrade, Sergio Santos.
The coach of the men’s national team, Mauro Berruto, has posted a blog on his website and below is the English version translated by our friend Francesca.
Yesterday. One of the most dramatic days of the Italian volleyball.
I use to speak enough and comment. I like to explain how I feel. In this case I have no opinion. I do it here in the most direct way I know, I can neither think nor to say more. I think about a match during last season. Me on the bench of Macerata, Bovo in Forlì. I think about a quarrel between us in the court. At the end of the match Stefano Recine, sports director of Macerata and great mutual friend, asked us to meet and we got moment smiles, handshakes, hugs and declarations of mutual admiration. A few months later, I became the coach of national team and read the Bovo’s words farewell to series A.
He thanked everyone for his marvelous career and, in particular, thanked “the Italian National Team, who granted me the great honor to wear the blue jersey, and to represent my country in the world. A reminder to all, demonstrating the importance of bringing the name of Italy in the world: in 1999, at the airport in Argentina, we met an old man born in Italy but had built his life in Argentina. He told us he had come to say goodbye because his family was in Argentina, but his heart is in Italy, his homeland, where he asked us to take a kiss from him. An anecdote says more than a thousand victories, the value of wearing the blue shirt, and I’d like to leave it as a heritage to young people who represent our country in the future. ”
I would like to remind Bovo with his own words.Today, during this poignant moment of silence for Roberto for Vigor and Facchettin Charles, president of the Provincial Committee of Gorizia and former international referee that he left two days ago, all cry: athletes, coaches, referees, fans, managers, journalists. You do not save anyone. Is said you do not fully know a person until you have cried with her. I would like this tsunami of pain that now hits the world of volleyball, could make sense.
I do not know. But if all this there was a sense, I think that would look at this collective pain, reminds us that volleyball is our world, our family, as Roberto and Bovo taught us with their career and their words. Heritage that we have a duty to preserve. I think about our quarrel and the smiles at the end, and I convince myself that maybe the meaning is to learn to be a bit ‘more united, because then come the days when you would like to move the clock back, and you can not anymore. You can not help but cry.
Everything else has only one thing: the emotion, affection, solidarity to the families of Robert and Vigor. Especially the affection the two children of Robert and four children of Vigor. That the world of volleyball, maybe a bit of time has taken away from them, as it took away from my children and children of all those who make this sport, and dedicate body and soul, is able to be close to them trying to give them something what is not refundable.
Enjoy your trip Roberto and Vigor, wherever it leads. Your journey here has been wonderful.
Thank you,
Mauro
On behalf of everyone in Volleywood, we send our deepest condolences to Bovo’s wife, children and all of his loved ones. It’s never easy to say goodbye to someone who did so much for the sport. He played in the Italian League for 21 years and touched so many people throughout his volleyball journey.
He might be gone but he will never be forgotten.
RIP BOVO.
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