At the end of 2002, a unique missing person notice appeared in some Italian newspapers: “On May 17, 1992, in the parking lot of 5th Avenue in the commercial district of Valle, a white woman was raped by a young black man. Shortly after, the woman gave birth to a black-skinned girl. She and her husband resolutely took on the responsibility of raising the girl. Unfortunately, the girl now has leukemia and urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. Her biological father is her only hope for survival. We hope the person involved will see this notice and contact Dr. Andre at Elizabeth Hospital as soon as possible.”
This notice caused a considerable stir in society, with people debating whether the black man would come forward. He faced a dilemma: if he came forward, he would risk losing his reputation and possibly breaking up his family; if he remained silent, he would commit an unforgivable sin again. How did this story end?
A girl unveils a shameful secret
In a residential area of Valle, Italy, 35-year-old Marta was a woman who was often talked about by others. She and her husband, Peter, were white-skinned, but one of their children was black. This strange phenomenon aroused their curiosity and suspicion about their neighbors. Marta always smiled and told them that her grandmother was black and her grandfather was white, hence the genetic throwback in her daughter, Monica.
In the fall of 2002, the black-skinned Monica had continuous high fevers. Dr. Andre diagnosed her with leukemia, and the only treatment was a bone marrow transplant. The doctor explained: “Among those related to Monica by blood, finding a suitable bone marrow match is easiest. It would be best for your family and relatives to visit the hospital for a bone marrow matching test.” Marta looked troubled but still had her family undergo the test, which yielded no suitable matches.
The doctor then suggested another effective method: Marta and her husband could have another child and use the umbilical cord blood to save Monica. This suggestion stunned Marta, and she exclaimed: “Oh my God, why is this happening?” She looked at her husband with eyes full of terror and despair. Peter also frowned deeply. Dr. Andre repeatedly explained that many people now use this method to save leukemia patients, which has no impact on the newborn’s health. The couple listened silently for a long time before finally saying: “Please let us think about it.”
The next evening, Peter solemnly told the doctor: “We have something to tell you, but you must keep it confidential because it is a secret we have kept for many years.” The doctor nodded thoughtfully. “It was ten years ago, in May 1992. Our eldest daughter, Lena, was already two years old, and Marta worked at a fast-food restaurant, getting off work at 10 p.m. every day. It was raining heavily that night, and the streets were almost empty when Marta got off work.”
After pausing momentarily, he continued: “As she passed an abandoned parking lot, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around in terror and saw a young black man standing behind her. The black man hit her with a stick, knocking her unconscious, and then raped her. When Marta woke up from her coma and stumbled home, it was already 1 a.m. I went crazy and rushed out to find the black man, who was long gone. That night, we cried out, feeling like the sky had fallen.”
Peter’s eyes were filled with tears as he continued: “Soon after, Marta discovered she was pregnant. We were terrified, fearing the child was the black man’s. Marta wanted to abort the fetus, but I held onto a glimmer of hope that the child might be ours. So, we waited anxiously for a few months.”
After a short pause, he continued: “In March 1993, Marta gave birth to a baby girl with black skin. We were devastated and considered sending the child to an orphanage, but we couldn’t bear to part with her when we heard her cry. After all, Marta had carried her, and she was a life. Marta and I are devout Christians, and we decided to raise her, naming her Monica.”
Dr. Andre’s eyes also welled up with tears as he finally understood why the couple feared having another child. He nodded thoughtfully: “Yes, even if you have ten more children, it would be difficult to find one suitable for Monica’s bone marrow transplant.”
Dr. Andre looked at Marta and tentatively said: “It seems you must find Monica’s biological father. Perhaps his bone marrow or that of his children might be suitable for Monica. But are you willing to let him reappear in your lives?” Marta said: “For the sake of my child, I am willing to forgive him. If he is willing to come forward to save my child, I will not press charges.” This maternal love deeply moved Dr. Andre.
The missing person notice sparks a bone marrow donation frenzy
In the vast sea of people, and after so many years, where could they find the rapist? Marta and Peter placed an anonymous notice about missing persons in the newspaper. In November 2002, many newspapers in Valle published the special missing person notice mentioned earlier, pleading for the rapist to come forward and save the poor leukemia girl. The notice caused a strong social reaction.
Dr. Andre’s phone was almost overwhelmed with calls from people asking who the woman was and wanting to meet her and offer help. But Marta refused the attention, unwilling to reveal her name or let others know that Monica was the rapist’s daughter.
The media discussed the event described in the notice. “Will the black man come forward? If he bravely steps up, how should we view him? How should our laws punish him? Should he be punished for his past crime or praised for his courage today?” commented the Roman Daily. The Valle News even launched a discussion titled “If You Were the Black Man, What Would You Do?” posing a dilemma to its readers. The local prison also actively helped Marta, providing a list of criminals from 1992 onward.
Since there were few black people in the city, there were also few black criminals over the past 10 years. They told Marta: “Although some were not convicted of rape, they might have committed such acts.” Some had already been released, while others were still in prison. Marta and Peter contacted each of them, but unfortunately, none were the black man who raped her. Subsequently, Marta’s story spread in the prison, and many criminals were moved by her maternal love.
Regardless of skin color, they voluntarily underwent bone marrow matching tests, hoping to donate bone marrow to Monica. However, none of them offered a suitable match. The notice moved many people, and many volunteers underwent bone marrow matching tests to see if their marrow was suitable. Volunteers grew, sparking a bone marrow donation frenzy in Valle. These volunteers’ bone marrow unexpectedly saved many leukemia patients, but Monica was not so lucky.
Marta and Peter anxiously waited for the black man’s appearance, but after two months, he still had not shown up. They worriedly wondered if the black man was no longer alive or if he was unwilling to disrupt his life by coming forward. But no matter what, as long as Monica lived, they would not give up hope of finding him.
A tormented soul struggles
Hope often appears in the depths of despair. When the special missing person notice appeared in a Naples newspaper, it stirred the heart of a 30-something hotel owner named Achille. He was a black man and the protagonist of this story. On the night of May 17, 1992, he experienced a nightmarish event. No one could have imagined that the wealthy Achille was once a dishwasher at the beck and call of others. He had lost his parents early, had not received much education, and started working young.
Smart and capable, he hoped to earn money and respect through hard work, but unfortunately, his boss was a racist who constantly beat and scolded him regardless of his efforts. On May 17, 1992, his 20th birthday, Achille planned to leave work early to celebrate, but he broke a plate in the chaos. His boss forced him to swallow the broken pieces.
Achille, in a fit of rage, punched his boss and stormed out of the restaurant. Still fuming, he decided to take revenge on a white person. On a rainy night, he encountered Marta in the parking lot and, out of racial revenge, ruthlessly raped the innocent woman. Afterward, Achille was terrified. That night, he used the money he had saved for his birthday to buy a train ticket to Naples, fleeing Valle.
In Naples, Achille’s luck turned. He found a job at a restaurant owned by an American couple who appreciated his hard work and even married their daughter, Lena, to him. Eventually, they entrusted him with running the restaurant. Over the years, Achille turned the restaurant into a thriving hotel and had three lovely children. Achille was a good boss, husband, and father to his employees and family. However, he never forgot the crime he had committed, praying that the woman he raped was safe. He never told anyone his secret.
That morning, Achille read the missing person notice repeatedly, feeling he was the rapist being sought. He never imagined that the poor woman had become pregnant and raised a child that wasn’t hers. That day, Achille tried several times to call Dr. Andre but hung up each time before finishing dialing. Achille struggled internally: if he came forward, people would see his ugliest side, his children would stop loving him, he would lose his happy family and beautiful wife, and he would lose the respect he had worked so hard to earn.
That evening, during dinner, his family discussed the news about Marta as usual. His wife, Lena, said: “I admire Marta very much. I wouldn’t have the courage to raise that child if it were me. I admire Marta’s husband even more; he is respectable for accepting such a child.” Achille listened silently and suddenly asked: “What do you think of the rapist?” “I would never forgive him. He was wrong back then, and now he is hiding at a critical moment. He is despicable, selfish, and cowardly! He is a coward!” Lena said angrily.
Achille listened, stunned, unable to tell his wife the truth. That night, he slapped his 5-year-old son for the first time because the boy refused to sleep. The boy cried: “You’re a bad dad. I won’t talk to you anymore. I don’t want you to be my dad.” Achille was deeply shaken, hugging his son and saying: “I’m sorry, I won’t hit you again. I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” To his surprise, Achille cried. The frightened boy quickly comforted his father, saying: “Okay, I forgive you. The kindergarten teacher says that children who correct their mistakes are good.”
Achille spent a sleepless night, feeling as if he were in hell, haunted by the memory of that sinful rainy night and the woman’s shadow. He seemed to hear her cries and calls. He kept asking himself: “Am I a good or bad person?” But listening to his wife’s even breathing beside him, he lost the courage to come forward. When he went to work the following day, his employees greeted him warmly: “Good morning, Mr. Manager!” He returned their greetings with a pale face, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Achille felt he was on the verge of collapse.
The former criminal steps out of the shadows
A few days later, Achille could no longer remain silent. He anonymously called Dr. Andre from a public phone booth, trying to sound calm: “I want to know about the unfortunate girl’s condition.” Dr. Andre told him that the girl’s condition was severe. Finally, Dr. Andre said sadly: “We don’t know if she can wait until the day her biological father appears.” These words deeply moved Achille, awakening the fatherly love deep in his soul. After all, the girl was his flesh and blood! He decided to come forward to save Monica. He had already missed one opportunity and couldn’t miss another.
That night, he mustered the courage to tell his wife everything. Finally, he said: “I might be Monica’s father! I must save her!” Lena was shocked, angry, and heartbroken. After hearing everything, she angrily said: “You liar!” She took their three children and drove to her parents’ house that night. When she told her parents about Achille, the elderly couple quickly calmed down after their initial anger.
Having experienced life’s ups and downs, they told their daughter: “Yes, we should be angry about Achille’s past actions. But have you thought about how much courage he takes to stand up now? This shows that his conscience is not dead. Do you want a husband who has made mistakes and is correcting them or a husband who forever buries his evil deeds in his heart?” Lena remained silent. The following day, Lena returned to Achille and, seeing his bloodshot eyes, firmly said: “Achille, go find Dr. Andre! I’ll go with you!”
On February 3, 2003, Achille and his wife contacted Dr. Andre. On February 8, they arrived at Elizabeth Hospital. The hospital conducted a DNA test on Achille, confirming that he was Monica’s biological father. When Marta learned that the black man who raped her had finally come forward, she wept. She had hated Achille for ten years but was grateful at that moment.
The news of Monica’s biological father being found uplifted all the concerned citizens. They called and wrote to Dr. Andre, asking him to convey their forgiveness and respect for the black man. They said: “He may have been a criminal, but now he is a hero!”
On February 10, Marta and her husband requested to meet Achille. On February 18, under the hospital’s secret arrangement, Marta met Achille in the reception room. Marta and her husband stepped forward and tightly held Achille’s hands, and the three of them cried together, their tears mingling.
After a long time, Achille choked out: “I’m sorry, please forgive me! I’ve been saying this in my heart for ten years, and today, I finally have the chance to say it to you in person.” Marta said: “Thank you for coming forward. May God bless you, and may your bone marrow save my daughter!” On February 19, the doctors conducted a bone marrow matching test on Achille, and fortunately, his bone marrow was a perfect match for Monica! The doctor exclaimed excitedly: “This is a miracle!”
On February 22, 2003, the long-awaited moment finally arrived. Achille’s bone marrow was transplanted into Monica’s body, and soon, Monica passed the critical period. Marta and her husband completely forgave Achille for the rape many years before and warmly invited him and Dr. Andre to their home. However, Achille did not come that day.
He entrusted Dr. Andre with a letter expressing his deep guilt: “I cannot disturb your peaceful life any longer. I only hope that Monica and you live happily together. Please let me know if you have any difficulties, and I will help you! I am also very grateful to Monica. In a way, she gave me a chance to atone, and that is her gift to me!”
Follow us on X, Facebook, or Pinterest
