A doctor has died in a tragic horse riding fall in front of her young daughter.
Mother-of-two Donatella Mecchia suffered a fatal head injury when she was thrown from her horse during a routine session at her local equestrian centre.
Her teenage daughter, Aurora, watched helplessly as her mother was thrown from the saddle and suffered a cerebral haemorrhage.
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The 46-year-old was rushed to the intensive care neurological unit at Niguarda Hospital in Milan, Italy, on Friday morning (5 Jun).
Donatella, a respected doctor, died shortly before 10am.
Her body was taken to the Meda Funeral Home in Corbetta near Milan, where a farewell ceremony was held.
The tragedy has devastated her husband, Marco Di Carlo, daughters Aurora and Beatrice, siblings Cristina and Alessandro, and her parents.
Family members described Donatella as a strong, generous woman who was deeply devoted to her loved ones.
Donatella, originally from San Vito al Tagliamento but long-based in the Milan area, graduated in medicine and surgery, specialised in pathological anatomy at the University of Milan, and held senior clinical and research roles.
She was a highly-regarded physician specialising in aesthetic medicine, as reported by Need To Know.
Colleagues remembered her as a dedicated teacher and warm personality whose “contagious sympathy” and joy of living left a lasting impression.
The Italian Society of Aesthetic Medicine paid tribute to her as a “highly appreciated and recognised professional”.
In one of her final social media posts, alongside a photo of her flexing her biceps, she wrote about resilience: “They say that muscles form through micro-tears that then heal and become stronger.
“Life works exactly the same way.”
A keen sportswoman and passionate horse rider, Donatella had personally rescued and adopted the horse involved in the incident.
In a final act of generosity, Donatella donated her organs, giving five people the chance of new life.
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