20/03/2026
A life Between Shores (A Story of Grief, A Story of Unity)
Malta Remembers Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi
In Malta, Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi
He was known as a boy seen in ordinary places — at school, at a skate park, at our gym. An ordinary child, with uncommon values.
I had the privilege to be one of his coaches.
I still remember the first day his father brought him to our gym. After a short conversation, his father expressed the wish for Mattia to join our classes. I looked at Mattia and told him clearly: I was not interested in what his father wanted — I wanted to know if he wanted to train with us.
He looked at me and simply said: “Yes.”
That was Mattia.
During that period, he became a familiar presence in our gym in Pembroke. He was not loud, but attentive — always learning, always respectful.
Another place defined his daily life: the Msida skate park. Like many teenagers, he spent afternoons there with friends — skating, talking, growing up. A normal life. And it is exactly this normality that makes his story meaningful.
Malta was not just a stop. It was part of his formation. Here he experienced a community where cultures, languages and religions meet naturally.
What Happened in Istanbul
After leaving Malta, Mattia moved with his family to Istanbul, where he began building a new life.
On 24 January 2025, he went out with friends in Kadıköy, a busy area popular with young people. He had gone to buy skateboard equipment.
There, he encountered two older teenagers. A brief verbal exchange escalated suddenly.
Mattia was stabbed multiple times. He was taken to hospital and remained in intensive care for more than two weeks. On 9 February 2025, he died as a consequence of his injuries.
The attack, recorded on security cameras, quickly spread across media. The case became national news in Turkey and, due to his Italian father, received strong attention in Italy as well.
One life connected three countries — Turkey, Italy and Malta.
Beyond a Criminal Case
The attackers, both minors, were sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed under juvenile law. But the legal outcome was only part of the story.
What followed revealed something deeper.
People gathered. Com
29/08/2025