I am the managing director of a company in Milan that deals with the maintenance of electro-medical equipment, which is used in hospitals and, therefore, also for Coronavirus patients. When the emergency broke out, the immediate concern of the many technicians who work in wards on a daily basis, particularly in Lombardy, was for their health but, at the same time, to be able to ensure that health facilities could continue to function.

At the beginning of the crisis, I decided to create a "chat" on whatsapp with my employees, so that I could not only give them technical and precautionary information, but also moral support. In my first message, I wrote that I had created the group not so much as an employer, but rather as a father who cares about his children.

Last week, I was contacted by the person in charge of the Lombardy Region who asked me to collaborate in the opening of the new hospital at the Fiera di Milano by testing all the electro-medical equipment. A huge job, with an additional health risk for the technicians. I was tempted to say no: everyone was already exhausted, often working 12 hours non-stop. I asked them, however, to partake in making the decision. Within thirty seconds, they all told me that we had to accept and that they were willing to work on Saturday and Sunday as well. That weekend, twelve people worked without a break. And the young people were the most enthusiastic.

The Friday before, whilst I was alone in the office, preparing material for the tests with the idea of not missing the Pope’s moment of prayer, I received a message from a colleague, whom I would define as "non-practising". The message said: "I say this to you because I know that you can understand and that you know the importance of it. Connect via streaming. The Pope will grant a plenary indulgence, as well as praying for this dramatic moment". What a grace that I can make memory of the presence of Christ thanks to a person who does not even go to church. And then another colleague, who is working at the Fiera Hospital, wrote to me the other night: "I wish not to be paid for yesterday and today’s work. Would that be possible? This work is to help sick people and organizations that are in difficulty”. I told him to take the money anyway, and possibly give it to charity. He said: "No, really. You can give it to charity, or use it for something else that might be useful”.

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And then a message from a friend from Caserta, with whom I work, who is also “non-practising”, and to whom I had written on Sunday to say that I had passed by a church to pray. He said this to me: "This morning I also went to pray, there is a church opposite my house and I had not been in it for so long. I hope the carnage will end soon." What moves people in such a way if not the fact that they have met someone who tries to show them that what is happening does not have the last word? There is something greater than our fear and even our desires. This is why it is worth living and worth running the risk of dying.

Paolo, Milan, Italy #Coronavirus