'My motto is 'life is too good'': The Italian paralympic fencer fighting for vaccine awareness

Nov 13, 2017 2435

Paralympic fencer Beatrice Vio is a veritable sports icon in Italy, a model of courage whose battle against disease, infectious enthusiasm and prowess have won her legions of loyal fans. Now the 20-year old ace is in Rome, where on Wednesday she will defend her title as wheelchair fencing world champion after taking home gold in last year's Paralympics in Rio.

"My motto is, 'life is too good'," Beatrice Vio said with a laugh in an interview with AFP, her cheerfulness belying years of physical and psychological anguish, beginning in 2008. "I was 11 years old when I got sick. I was struck down suddenly with meningitis C," said the blue-eyed blonde from northern Italy, who has been affectionately nicknamed "Bebe" (baby) by her compatriots.

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SOURCE: https://www.thelocal.it/

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