The photographer from Cordoba, Juan Ignacio Bettolli, passed away last Thursday, August 15, in a road accident when a car hit him from behind near Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
According to the criteria of
The 37-year-old died in the middle of a journey that had begun in 2019: Touring Asia and Africa on your bikeThe event, although it took place days ago, was confirmed by the Foreign Ministry days later.
As he told on his social networks, the victim was in the middle of a journey to join Morocco with South Africa when the car ran him over. According to the local media The voice, The body is housed in the morgue of a university hospital awaiting the completion of the legal proceedings initiated by the accident and the family being allowed to repatriate his remains.
The 37-year-old died in the middle of a journey that had begun in 2019.
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We ask the Foreign Ministry to speed up the process to have Juan Ignacio with us.
“We are asking the Foreign Ministry to expedite the process so that Juan Ignacio can be with us,” his mother, Carmen Buteler, requested in an interview with the same media outlet.
The family had lost contact with Bettolli last WednesdayNow his brothers and two friends – some of whom had planned to travel with him soon and tour some cities – will travel to Nigeria to return with his remains and belongings.
In conversation with local radio Point 11his mother said that what happened was something “terrible” and that the accident occurred when a vehicle tried to pass another vehicle and did not see the victim, who was riding his bicycle. According to his account, the driver did not flee, he quickly called the emergency services and took Bettolli’s belongings to the police.
In addition, Buteler detailed that his son had told him that in the African country “There was no good road safety education””, but that he enjoyed the trip because he had found “his purpose in life”.
The cyclist’s journey through Asia.
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What was Bettolli’s project?
A bicycle trip across the continent from north to south, seeking to reach the most remote corners of each nation
On their social networks, Bettolli had given a series of details about his ‘Africa on Bike Project 2023’: “a bicycle trip across the continent from north to south, seeking to reach the most remote corners of each nation.”
As he himself showed, He used to stay in the houses of unknown people who hosted himhighlighting the importance of living “simple” experiences.
Prior to this journey, the man had already made a trip through Asia, which took him from Beijing, China, to Tehran and IranIn addition to sharing the map of the route he was following, he uploaded photos of his findings and the people he met along the way every day.
“He was an incredible person, with a huge heart, devoted to his loved ones and who had many friends. He was very attentive to us and shared with us the different stages of his journey,” added his mother.
Acquaintances and followers mourn his death
Many users began to express their condolences through social networks after learning the news of the young man’s death.
He College of the Immaculate Conception OFSwhere Bettolli studied, published a message lamenting his death: “A big dreamer, intrepid in soul and tireless traveler, an accident happened to him on his bicycle crusade through Africa. May his mischievous smile, his particular way of speaking and telling stories continue to be present in this new journey that he is beginning. United in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul, may our Immaculate Mother console his parents, brothers and the entire family.”
“We will always remember him for his immense joy and great friend”they added, along with a series of images showing the cyclist in the middle of his travels.
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