2019 has been a rollercoster of a year. We started the New Year grateful that finally we still had a pregnancy after the 12 week scan and moved into an apartment in Epsom, UK ready for the long awaited birth of our baby. I knew that there was a good chance that I would miss the birth, but with our livelihood dependent on the success of Frankie Boatours, we had little option. We put it out of our minds and concentrated on making the best of our situation.
Victoria was diagnosed with Placenta Prima, which resulted in 5 trips to the hospital, all requiring overnight observation, the last 3 nights and I began to think about how she’d cope without me. Our fears were lessened with the birth of our nephew, Sabastian; Victoria’s sister in law was also pregnant and it was a wonderful moment to hold their precious baby boy in my arms… I said to Victoria “I don’t want to wait 3 months, I want our baby to arrive now!”
6 hours later we were in an ambulance on our way to hospital. Another 6 hours later our son, Francesco, was born by emergency-C section. His lungs weren’t functioning properly and so he was transferred to St Georges hospital in Tooting, London…10 minutes walk from Victoria’s old apartment where she was living when we met. It seemed odd that this tiny part of London, a gigantic city, was Victoria’s home and it now would be where our son would spend the first 6 weeks of his life. It made it easier when the time came for me to return back to Praiano knowing that Victoria was in familiar surroundings and had her friends on hand to support us (and feed us!) It was with a heavy heart that I had to leave them both, but Francesco had moved from ICU to Special Care.
I was grateful to all my existing customers and their referrals that made the 2019 season crazy busy so the time flew. My #feastwithfrankie tour was getting very popular and our Facebook and Instagram accounts were increasing organically so it confirmed that it was the right thing to do. We got the great news that Francesco was well enough to come home so I crammed in as much work as I could so I could spend 5 amazing days back in the UK. Finally reunited with my family it gave me the boost that I needed. I couldn’t have been happier – in fact I can say it was probably one of the most happiest periods in my life.
I returned to work with a new lease of life, a new purpose and a new perspective. Being a father changed my priorities and made me want to succeed in my business for different reasons… I am a free spirit and when I set out to start Frankie Boatours it was with a che sarà che sarà mentality – as long as I could pay the bills, enjoy a good social life and travel once a year, that was enough for me – I was totally focussed on giving my guests an amazing experience and whatever that meant for me financially, so be it. But now to be the sole breadwinner meant new responsibility and go above and beyond my clients expectations. Victoria was managing our TripAdvisor account and told me of all the amazing reviews.
One afternoon I had some free time and I spent it with my 15 year old Nephew. He was growing up fast and becoming of age – not yet a man but certainly not a kid anymore. We went swimming with the sun beaming down on us and I felt so proud to be his uncle. I wish I told him. He was involved in a motorbike accident in the August and was taken from us within hours. Our beloved Pietro brought so much joy into our lives that his passing caused a great shadow not only in our family but the whole of Praiano. Our village was in shock and in grief and disbelief what had happened and we all came together as a community to say goodbye to him. It will be a day I shall never forget.
I was desperate to see Victoria and she was devastated that she couldn’t say goodbye – I told her she must look after and guard Francesco which meant staying in the UK until Francesco got the all clear to travel. After 4 agonising weeks we were all finally together again. To be utterly broken but so happy is a strange sensation … and very confusing. I finished the rest of the season with a smile on my face but a wounded heart…yet it was my work and my clients that gave me the gift of distraction. To see people enjoying life, enjoying the beauty of nature and enjoying the feeling of freedom helped ease the pain I was feeling.
So as 2019 comes to the end I have lost and gained in equal measures. I’ve learnt that life is short. I’ve learnt that timing is cruel. I’ve learnt that nothing is for certain. But I’ve also learnt that the only way to beat darkness is to shine the light. And so I know that being grateful for what I have is the best way to continue with a life that will never be the same.