Vinicio Riva deserves kindness and compassion as much as any other human on this earth. However, due to the disfiguring bumpy growths caused by neurofibromatosis type 1, he has experienced quite the opposite for much of his life.
On 6 November 2013 Mr. Riva traveled with a group from Northern Italy to Vatican City in hopes of seeing Pope Francis during one of his public audiences. Sitting in a wheelchair at the time, Mr. Riva was moved towards the front of the crowd in St. Peter’s Square by a member of the Swiss Guard. Enter Pope Francis who, without pause, embraced Mr. Riva.
Read more about Mr. Riva’s experience and see a video interview at the link via BBC News: http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/26/world/europe/pope-francis-disfigured-man/index.html
