Former Italy prop Lo Cicero seeks help from social media after 25-year search

Italian centurion Andrea Lo Cicero has sent out an appeal on social media to aid him in finding a baby he helped deliver in 1995 when volunteering for the Italian Red Cross in his hometown of Catania, Sicily.

The former loosehead prop was 19 at the time and would have been in the early stages of his rugby career, where he was playing for Catania at the time. After almost 27 years, he sent out a message on social media this week to help find the baby delivered in the Santo Bambino Hospital.

“Hoping that social sharing can help me,” the 45-year-old wrote on Instagram.

“I’ll tell you about one of the most beautiful, touching, exciting experiences of my life, giving birth to a premature baby. Volunteering with the Red Cross. I was 19 years old during an ambulance service with my legendary colleague @milena_ali. In this photo I am in the midwifery department of Catania, the morning after having helped the mother of this beautiful little girl Miriam, 3,350 kg, 50cm. I will not forget this day. It was 1995, Catania, early spring period, Santo Bambino Hospital. I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I MAY MEET MIRIAM. Hoping that someone can somehow help me. THANK YOU.”

Captain Dupont nailed on for award

Captain Dupont nailed on for award

 

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Une publication partagée par Andrea Lo Cicero (@ilbarone1)

Lo Cicero’s stint with the Red Cross came five years before he made his Italy debut in 2000 against England in the Six Nations. He would go on to play 103 times for the Azzurri, featuring in three Rugby World Cups, before playing his final game in a win over Ireland in Rome in 2013. For a time he was also Italy’s most capped player, having overtaken Alessandro Troncon, but that has now been surpassed. His club career also saw him play across Italy and France, before he retired completely in 2013.