San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Marco Bellinelli has pledged to help his native country of Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic as his country continues to fight with the Nobel virus.
Bellinelli, who hails from Italy, has been barred from travelling to his own country due to the pandemic, however, it hasn’t stopped him from helping the hospitals in his native capital of Bologna, Italy for the cause of fighting the globally spread coronavirus. The situation has already worsened in the country with over 31,500 cases detected and 2500+ reported deaths.
“Since this emergency broke out, I have always been in contact with my family and friends in Italy,” Marco Belinelli told the Italian website Sportnando.
“I know how much the work of all operators today is even more important. I can help as far as I can, in the hope of being able to return to Bologna soon and thank one by one all the people who are on the front lines today. I have never felt so proud to be Italian.”
Spurs Marco Belinelli and the @NBPA are economically helping the Bologna hospital in his native Italy, the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic, to buy machines for its patients. “I know the work of doctors and nurses is really important, especially now” Marco said pic.twitter.com/RlruVBTH1D
— Davide Chinellato (@dchinellato) March 17, 2020
The Spurs guard and also the NBA titleholder in 2004, is also the son of an Italian surgeon, has appeared in 52 games this season. He’s averaging 5.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.0 minutes per contest while shooting 39.1 per cent from the field, 36.8 per cent from beyond the arc and 78.0 per cent from the free-throw line. Before the suspension of the season, San Antonio ranked 12th in the Western Conference with an overall season record of 27-36, also have fewer chances of qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
The 35-year-old is one of the greatest basketball players from Italy, has been forced to witness the pandemic far away from his country, however, he has been at the top when it came to donating and helping his countrymen. The undisclosed amount has helped the Bologna hospital purchase equipment for use in treating patients stricken with COVID-19.
“I thank Marco Belinelli for his generosity which, it should be said, knows no boundaries,”
“Marco gave a symbolic ‘five’ to all health professionals who have been giving their best to deal with the COVID-19 emergency for weeks now.”
said Chiara Gibertoni, Commissioner of the Local Health Authority of Bologna.
