An era, a remembrance, a greeting…

I do not wish to commemorate Professor Dagianti based solely on his scientific achievements. It would trivialize his memory. I wish you to remember him as a friend and mentor to all university cardiologists. I am old enough to remember him when he was full of strength and fighting spirit, when he used to discuss with his colleagues about the role of the newborn academic discipline of Cardiology, about its need to become autonomous from Internal Medicine and to proceed towards the independent and shining future it now holds. Prof Dagianti was not only a pioneer but also the coordinator of all the initiatives that marked the series of successes and disappointments that university cardiologists have experienced since the Nineties. Shy and enterprising, demanding and fair, sensitive to the requests of Italian cardiology professors and researchers, rarely willing to accept compromises; a man of intelligence, important not only for his role but also for his charisma; a man committed both to patients and to science , at times more to science than to patients, at others more to patients than to science: he was all of this. He was also a man full of contradictions , impulsive and intuitive, sometimes difficult to deal with, but always full of humanity. A passionate supporter of anyone who was enamored of academic cardiology; a man to love and emulate and understand; a man who was capable of grasping and assessing difficult situations with simplicity and rationality. Armando Dagianti was a man dedicated to Valeria and Alessandra, to cardiology and to his students. I still cannot imagine not being able to critique him or love him anymore, in the way that he was so good at critiquing and loving. This is really a gap which will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill, with consequences on the future of all cardiolo-gists. Armando Dagianti, a man who gave rise to conflicts, doubts, great enthusiasm and great passions: as all great men do. Rest in peace, dear Armando, and even though we may have criticised you, if you can, watch over us from above; we still need you in these difficult times. I have always cared for you deeply.