"How are you? Still alive," these were Ferdinand Nokaj's last messages .
The 25-year-old, of Albanian origin, was born in Fano, Italy, and lived with his family in Colli al Metauro. The young man had been living in Rovereto for five years, where he was studying psychology at university.
The last message was sent at 7:16 PM on August 30. After that, Ferdinand did not respond again.
The next day, his brother reported the disappearance to the Fano carabinieri. Five days later, on September 5, the body of a young man was found on the banks of the Adige River, in Grumo, in the municipality of San Michele all'Adige, about 42 kilometers from Rovereto.
For about three weeks, the family did not know that the body found was Ferdinand's. The parents continued the search, while the father repeatedly traveled to Trento and Rovereto, unaware that his son was in the morgue of the Santa Chiara hospital.
Only on September 25, the father managed to identify his son's lifeless body, by his face and a tattoo on his chest.
"I was attacked", the 25-year-old's last messages
Three hours before the last "Still alive" message, Ferdinand had contacted his family and told them that he had been attacked in Rovereto by some Albanian boys.
According to the family, there were visible marks on his face and he was scared. His father had asked him to go to the carabinieri immediately.
"That's what I'm thinking of doing, Dad," Ferdinand had replied.
However, it does not appear that he has reported to the Carabinieri. At 17:21 he had communicated with his brother again, this time from the Rovereto railway station. The brother thinks that Ferdinand may have intended to return home.
At 7:16 PM the last message came: “How are you?” Ferdinand’s response was: “Still alive.”
Then, his phone stopped answering.
The phone rang in South Tyrol
Investigations into the young man's phone led authorities to Termeno sulla Strada del Vino, in South Tyrol, about 64 kilometers from Rovereto.
It is still unknown how Ferdinand had covered this distance. According to the family, he had only a small bag with him that he carried on his shoulder.
Meanwhile, on September 5, the body of a young man was found on the banks of the Adige River in Grumo. At the time, authorities did not connect the body to the missing student.
The family interrupts their vacation and begins the search.
At the time of Ferdinand's disappearance, his parents were in Albania. After the news, they cut short their vacation and headed to Rovereto.
On September 1, they were at the Carabinieri, while the father began his field research. He traveled constantly around Trentino, contacting the boy's friends and acquaintances and seeking information from the authorities.
In mid-September, the family also hired lawyer Francesco Bonatesta. On September 18, he asked the Government Commissariat for the Province of Trento to activate the provincial plan for the search for missing persons.
Finally, on the evening of September 24, at 11:10 p.m., the father received the phone call that the family had been waiting for and at the same time dreading.
The Rovereto carabinieri asked him to report the next day and then accompanied him to the Santa Chiara hospital in Trento. There, he identified his son's body by the face and the tattoo on his chest.
The death of the 25-year-old is being investigated by the Trento Prosecutor's Office, which has opened a file for incitement to suicide. The circumstances that led to Ferdinand's death and what happened after his last contact with his family remain the subject of investigation.