All weekend, Italians talked about 'the captain'. Captain Francesco Schettino. The man who abandoned ship. Who refused to fulfill the duties of his position by staying on board the Concordia to assist passengers in their escape. The man who is under house arrest, charged with manslaughter, abandoning ship and causing a shipwreck. The Italian people were not proud.
Today, Italians are still talking about 'the captain'. A different one. And the pride has returned. In a little over 24 hours, a new, national hero has emerged. This captain, of the Italian Coast guard, is Gregorio De Falco.
De Falco, a 48 year old balding, bearded coast guard officer, came to the limelight Tuesday, when an audio tape was released featuring him in a heated discussion with Concordia Captain Schettino.
He's the man who furiously ordered Schettino to go back aboard his capsized vessel to coordinate rescue operations. Now, he is an instant celebrity, and Italians are saying he has helped restore honor in a very dark hour for the country.
De Falco is heard on the four minute tape yelling at Schettino as he escaped on a lifeboat from the Concordia, "Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Go on board (Expletive!)".
The "Go on board" phrase was already appearing on T-shirts around Italy a day later.
Italy's largest newspaper, Corriere della Sera, chose to simply make a banner headline of "Thank You, Captain".
The paper went on to compare the two as 'one who humiliates us, the other who redeems.'
In the national psyche of Italy, Schettino has embarrassed their country and the people. De Falco in a heartbeat put an end to that. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, he said he was shocked to first hear the tape of his voice, and is amazed
De Falco said, "I did what any coast guard officer would have done, I'm no hero".
Italians can take comfort in the fact that he is. In fact, we all can.
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