Capodimonte woman dies after choking on food; family donates organs

Rachele Ferrara, a 28-year-old mother of two, has died following a choking accident in Capodimonte, Viterbo. The incident occurred on August 14 while she was eating a slice of bacon.

Despite immediate assistance from her parents, who are volunteers with the Italian Red Cross, and the subsequent application of the Heimlich maneuver by emergency responders, the obstruction caused severe oxygen deprivation. Ferrara was airlifted to the Santa Rosa hospital in Viterbo, where she remained in intensive care for six days before being declared brain dead.

In the wake of the tragedy, her family has authorized the donation of her organs, a gesture described by the Capodimonte municipality as a “gift of life and hope.” The local community has expressed profound grief, with local authorities canceling summer events to honor her memory. Her funeral is scheduled for August 20 in Marta.