In a letter published by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the pontiff noted that he was praying for Zanardi and his family, and also praised the courageous behavior of the famous athlete.
“Your story is an example of how to be able to go forward again after an unexpected stop. Through sports you taught to live the life of the protagonist, turning disability into a lesson in humanity, ”wrote Pope Francis.
On June 19, the 53-year-old Zanardi had an accident in Siena. His hand-operated bike collided with a truck. The former athlete in serious condition was evacuated to the nearest hospital.
The Italian played in various racing series, among which he spent five seasons in Formula 1 and four in the CART series, in which he twice became a champion. In 2001, he had a serious accident, due to which both legs above his knees were amputated. Despite such injuries, Zanardi returned behind the wheel in body touring championships.
He also performed at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games, where he won two gold medals in the hand bike class.
It was previously reported that Zanardi was put into a state of artificial coma.