Lawrence Bonello writes...

“A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero only one.” – William Shakespeare

‘Dr Mizzi’, ‘Uncle Alex’, ‘Dad’, ‘Granpa’ or just plain ‘Alex’ as he was known to his many relatives, friends and acquaintances was one of those unsung heroes who go through life in their unassuming yet not any less heroic manner.

In the almost 30 odd years that I have known him, hardly have I ever heard him mentioning any of the various exploits of his younger years, hardly have I heard him speaking of his achievements, not even when pressed for answers.

Alex was one of a number of Maltese students who were studying in Italy when World War II broke out.

Being a Maltese (hence British) subject, he was asked to renounce his citizenship and receive an Italian passport. Knowing full well the implications of such a move (he would probably have been conscripted and sent to fight against his own homeland), he vehemently refused and was imprisoned first at Regina Coeli prisons in Rome and later in Monte Chiarugolo in the vicinity of Parma.

It was from this castle-prison that Alex managed to escape in ‘story-book’ fashion (by shinning down knotted sheets).

He later moved to the United States where he served as a doctor and was also active in favour of civil rights during the turbulent 1960s. It was in the States that he brought up a family of five children and eventually became a doting grandfather to12 grandchildren.

During all this time, however, he never lost his interest and, most of all, his pride in being Maltese. He remained fluent in the language till the very end and was a regular visitor during his working life and an annual one after his retirement, when he would spend most of the summer months here, frequenting his beloved Neptunes A.SC. (Neptunes was also the water polo team for which he played in his youth.)

Alex was also the epitome of life-long learning. He spoke eight languages (many of which he taught himself) and even in his advanced age never shunned the use of modern technology, spending time browsing the Net, using email and other applications. This used to help him keep in touch with his beloved children when on holiday in Malta and also up to date with world events.

Alex may have passed on to a better life but the legacy of his example lives on for those who were lucky enough to be close to him in life.

May the Lord grant him eternal rest.