Naples' response to a young disabled man's car fire: over €33 raised in one day.

Over €33 raised in just one day. This is the heartfelt response of so many Neapolitans to the story of Raffaele De Rosa, 35, a resident of Marano and suffering from multiple sclerosis, who was left without a car after his vehicle was set on fire overnight.

The fundraiser, launched on the GoFundMe platform at the initiative of Green and Left Alliance MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli, immediately attracted an extraordinary response. This mobilization allowed a significant sum to be raised in just a few hours, with the goal of enabling Raffaele to purchase a new car. The target is €40. There's not much left to do.

For the young man and his family, this is a real help. The car that burned down was the only one available and was an indispensable means of transportation, especially for reaching the center where Raffaele is undergoing treatment.

The car destroyed by the flames

It all happened in the middle of the night. Raffaele said he noticed huge flames engulfing his car, which was parked in the space reserved for people with disabilities right in front of his home.

The firefighters were immediately called, and they extinguished the blaze before it could engulf the building. However, only the blackened carcass of the car remained, which was later removed.

The strong suspicion is that it was arson, a hypothesis that, according to reports, has been confirmed by the firefighters. The incident is currently under investigation.

That note on the windshield

Raffaele linked the fire to an incident that had occurred a few days earlier. He found a small car parked in a space reserved for people with disabilities without the required permit.

A situation that, he says, happens frequently. That time, he decided to leave a note on the car's windshield: "If you want this parking space, take my disability too."

The car had been parked in the parking lot all night. This led Raffaele to fear that the fire may have been a retaliatory act related to that very incident. This hypothesis will need to be verified by investigators.

"I was only defending my rights"

"I was just defending my rights," Raffaele said, explaining how important it is for him to be able to count on a parking space close to home.

For someone like him who has difficulty walking, having to leave the car miles away is a huge inconvenience. And now, without a car, even getting to the treatment center risks becoming a daily hassle.

The big heart of the Neapolitans

It was in this difficult time that the community responded. The fundraiser attracted immediate and surprising participation, raising over €33 in a single day.

This result further demonstrates the Neapolitans' ability to rally together in the face of the challenges of a person whose ability to seek treatment and move independently is at risk.

The associations La battaglia di Andrea and Autismo Sociale Aps also supported Raffaele and his family, contributing to the mobilization.

Meanwhile, the fire has been reported to the Carabinieri. The investigation will determine who started the blaze and, more importantly, whether it actually has any connection to the disabled parking space incident.

In the meantime, however, an initial response has already arrived: that of solidarity. And in just 24 hours, the hearts of Neapolitans have raised over €33 for Raffaele.