Maurizio Rigamonti: Hero. Father. Advocate. Global Citizen

Several months ago I wrote an essay about my very good friend Maurizio Rigamonti, who in my eyes and the eyes of many parents who are familiar with the challenges of international parental child abduction, including recovery and post-abduction reunification, happens to be an incredible man and exemplary father.

Some time has passed since I share my insight on Maurizio, who continues to amaze me through the support he shares with other parents who are facing the horrible ordeals of abduction, while in his own way, stewarding the warning signs and risk factors of abduction.

I am very proud to call Maurizio my close friend.  

The article below is what I previously had written on November 10th, 2012.  If anything has changed, it is my appreciation and deep respect for Maurizio for it only continues to grow!

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(The article below was first published on November 10th, 2012)

Over the past few years, it has become a tremendous honor and privilege to become close friends with Mr. Maurizio Rigamonti of Parma, Italy. 

 

In my capacity as the Founding Director of the I CARE Foundation, as a parent, and as a global citizen who actively tries to help others, particularly children facing various risks, I hold Maurizio in the highest esteem. 

 

As a father, Maurizio, by nature a loving, caring, attentive, honest and patient man faced some of the most horrific and unthinkable set or circumstances over the past few years any parent would not want to face, when, according to the rules of international law, his young son was parentally wrongfully taken from Parma, Italy under the rules of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to the United States.

 

Despite the avalanche of unthinkable events Mr. Rigamonti faced - having a child abducted - having to use every asset he had to properly litigate his return from over 6,000 miles away - having to face being accussed of being things he was not: in essence having his own identity stolen - trying to explain to a society including his friends, family, and co-workers about the severity of international child abduction -  and not having someone hand him a map and say, "Maurizio, this is how you have to navigate this nightmare," Maurizio never gave up on his son.  He never walked away.  He never stopped fighting for his child's rights to know the love of he and his extended family held for him, he never stopped trying to purge the attempts to displace his true identity as a good, honest, loving man who lived in a way that exemplifies good parenting.

 

Truth is he loved and loves deeply his child.

 

Of course, it would have been easy for Maurizio to walk away from the fight for his son's rights.  It would have been easy for Maurizio to say "I can't lose everything I have financially because I have to think of myself." And it would have been easy and less painful for Maurizio to simply say, "Maybe one day I will see my son again: but for now, I have to accept what fate has brought us."

 

But you see, Maurizio did not do that. 

 

He knew that his son had rights, and that included not just knowing and feeling the love of his father, but also knowing the truth about his father - which meant also one day having his son know that his father is, from my eyes, amongst the best of men.

 

If you are a parent imagine the gentle, innocent face of your child.

 

Now imagine your child beging abducted to another country and in reality there is nothing that you could do about it that does not jeopardize the safety of your child other than going through the various courts of law you will need to. 

 

And even then, the probability that your litigation will be successful and that your child, who is typically a pawn used by parent-abductor, will not suffer severe symptoms of parental alienation is extremely unlikely.  Truth is the short-term and long-term suffering that a child victim of abduction faces is extreme. Tragically, it is estimated that only 10% of all children are returned home to their country of origin.

 

Sadly, and juxtaposing the challenges any parent must deal with when a child is unexpectedly wrongfully taken by the other parent, the challenges Maurizio Rigamonti faced after the abduction were, in reality, beyond the phathoms of most cruel imagination - except of course, if you are a man or woman who has also been targeted to have your child internationally abducted.  Then, and only then would you understand the importance of every abductor to attempt to defame your name, your reputation, your parenting . . . in essence the need to destroy your life and entire being because under international law, it is possible for an abductor to have a court of law sanction the act of abduction so long as the court  determines that it is not in the best interest of the child to have a child returned back to their country of original jurisdiction.  Thus, in nearly 100% of international parental child abduction cases, both men and woman child abductors use false allegations against the other parent in order to attempt to have the courts sanction their illicit act of kidnapping.

 

Maurizio, like many women and men, was not immune to not having to face these types of challenges. And in fact, he faced biased challenges in the media and actually in court.

 

Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges a chasing parent faces is that they know what it is like to have their child used as a tactical pawn by the other parent.  Because of this, most become keenly aware of the importance to not talk negatively about the other parent because they know how this will further hurt their child. Of course, it could be easy to do - but in order to be a good parent for your child, it is important to understand how your acts will impact them. 

To say I deeply admire Mr. Maurizio Rigamonti would be an understatement.  He was required to litigate in multiple courts in Italy and in the United States.  During this time, and as Maurizio clearly stated in various legal forums, he was wrongfully denied access and contact with his son due to false allegations that were part of an Article 13 defense of the Hague Convention.

 

Despite hardship after hardship, Maurizio did not stop fighting for his son.

 

Several months ago, Maurizio was finally reunited with his son in Parma. 

 

It took several years for the events that took place that led to the wrongful removal of Maurizio's son finally prevailed under the international courts presiding over the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

 

 I know Maurizio has a lot to say about what previously occurred.  But most of all, I know that he loves his son, and wants his child to be happy, know love, and see the magic that exists in the world.

 

In life, there are friends you make who you come to really admire and care for because they not only care about others, but they act in selfless goodness.  Maurizio Rigamonti is one of those special friends who cares about others and acts in kindness. 

 

The world is a better place because Mr. Maurizio Rigamonti is in it.  His love for his child is unbowed and without limit. It is my hope and desire that Maurizio's child fully understand the depth of the love his wonderful father holds for him.

 

I am honored to call Maurizio my friend.  And I speak on behalf of the members of the I CARE Foundation when I say Maurizio Rigamonti is an extraordinary, kind, good man and parent who clearly loves his child.  

 

There is one last thing I would like to say: if you are a parent thinking of wrongfully removing your child from their country of habitual residence - this is an act of kidnapping - one that will cause both short and long-term difficulties for you, your child, and the other parent.  Should you have issues concerning mobility, please follow the rules of law in order to achieve your goals.