It is 19:00 on June 10, 1981 when Alfredino Rampi's father, alarmed by his son's absence, calls the police

It is 19:00 on June 10, 1981 when Alfredino Rampi's father, alarmed by his son's absence, calls the police. The officers, arriving on the scene, immediately realize the situation: the 6-year-old boy's screams come from a circular opening of the ground, with a diameter of just 30 centimeters.

Firefighters arrive at the scene immediately, trying to keep the baby awake, but as the hours go by, you realize that releasing him is far from easy. So we ask for help from contortionists, circuses, jockeys: the result doesn’t change and everyone fails, rising to the surface empty-handed.

The event, thanks to television, violently enters the homes of Italians becoming a real media case: on the evening of June 12, 28 million viewers follow the tragedy of the child, whose screams are amplified by a microphone dropped down into the dogroom.

Among the many attempts to save Alfredino Rampi, the 37-year-old Angelo Licheri, who, with his minute physical accomplice, undertakes to fall into the artesian well for all 60 meters (Alfredino has now reached this depth) away from the child. It goes so close, but eventually fails and re-emerges after 45 minutes spent upside down, then bursting into a desperate cry.

Meanwhile dozens and dozens of people arrive in Vermicino, including the president of the Republic Pertini, who tries to personally encourage the child, encouraging him to resist.

The situation is getting worse by the hour and every rescue attempt is shutting down. The mud inside the coop, the hard ground to penetrate, the confusion, the preparation, the bad luck, the haste, all contribute to decree defeat.

On the morning of June 13 Italy surrendered to failure: after 60 hours of agony, the announcement is from the host of TG1 Massimo Valentini. In tears the journalist reports that Alfredino's body slipped down, sinking for another 26 meters to the bottom of that well.

“We wanted to see a fact of life, and we saw a fact of death. [...]. ] It was the registration of a defeat, unfortunately: 60 hours of fight in vain for Alfredo Rampi”.

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