A heartbroken husband has spoken out about his pain after his wife, who was in a coma for more than three decades, finally passed away.
Angelo Farina watched over his wife Miriam Visintin, originally from Riese Pio X in Italy, as she died at the San Bassiano hospital where she'd been taken two months ago after experiencing a pleural effusion - a buildup of fluid on the lungs.
Last Wednesday, she died as a result of a cardiac arrest.
But Miriam was unconscious when she was admitted, and had been in the same state since she crashed her Fiat Panda into a pole in Casoni di Mussolente on Christmas Eve 1991.
She was left with an inoperable brain injury, and had to be transferred to the "La Madonnina" residential home for life-preserving care.
She was then taken to the Casa Sturm institute where she remained until her most recent hospital admission.
Throughout her comatosed life, her hubby Angelo remained by her bedside, and would visit the hospital at least once every single day.
The pair had tied the knot and moved in together just a year before the crash.
He told Fanpage.it: "I am happy for her, she is finally up there in peace and in paradise. I think he has suffered a lot over the years. We had only been married a year and a half when tragedy struck.
"We were young and had so many projects. She was very fond of children. Fate has been cruel to her, too cruel.
"She didn't deserve all of this. I keep saying it and I will keep saying it in the future as well".
The family plans to bid farewell to Miriam today as a funeral is due to be held at the parish church of Spineda di Riese Pio X.
The Mayor of Cassola, Alda Maroso, also offered up his condolences and thoughts about Miriam's tragic life.
He said: "What struck me a lot, in addition to the tragedy of a vegetative life that lasted 31 years, is the closeness of her husband, perpetuated in daily gestures of love for so long.
"I don't know how many would be capable of that. In a very self-centered world, this example gives reason to believe that humanity still exists."
