ROME (AP) — Alex Zanardi, the Italian auto racing champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist whose career was marked by two life-altering accidents, has died. He was 59.
Zanardi’s family announced his death on Saturday, saying that he passed away on Friday night.
"Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him," the family said in a statement without providing a cause of death.
In 2020, Zanardi was seriously injured in a handbike accident after crashing into an oncoming truck during a relay event in Tuscany. Zanardi suffered serious facial and cranial trauma in the crash and was put in a medically induced coma.
Nearly 20 years earlier, Zanardi lost both of his legs in an auto racing crash.
"Italy loses a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every challenge of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity," Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said on X.
"Alex Zanardi knew how to bounce back every time, facing even the toughest challenges with determination, clarity, and a strength of spirit that was truly exceptional," Meloni added. "With his sporting achievements, with his example, and with his humanity, he gave all of us much more than a victory: he gave hope, pride, and the strength to never give up. On behalf of myself and the government, I extend my heartfelt thoughts and the sincerest closeness to his family and to all those who loved him. Thank you for everything, Alex."
Zanardi won two championships in CART — 1997 and 1998 — in the United States before a brief return to Formula One. He returned to America and was racing in Germany in a CART event in 2001 when both of his legs were severed in a horrific accident the weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. CART raced only because the series was already in Germany at the time of the attacks and could not return to the U.S.
During his recovery, Zanardi designed his own prosthetics — he joked that he made himself taller — and learned to walk again. He then turned his attention to hand cycling and developed into one of the most accomplished athletes in the world. He won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record.
When he won a Paralympic race in 2012 at Britain's Brands Hatch circuit where he had competed as a young driver, Zanardi celebrated the full-circle moment by holding his bike aloft one-handed as he sat on the track.
His spirit, will, and determination gave the beloved Italian a larger-than-life persona. When he returned to the U.S. in 2019 to compete for BMW at the Rolex 24 of Daytona without his prosthetics, he was the most revered driver in a field that included F1 champion Fernando Alonso.
Drivers from around the world sought out Zanardi for photographs and were transfixed as he told elaborate tales of his adventures in the nearly two decades since many had seen him.
Zanardi used specially adapted cars with hand controls for gas and brake to take up racing again after the 2001 accident — and well enough to win races in various series.
Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of F1, said he was "deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend," calling Zanardi "truly an inspirational person, as a human and as an athlete."
"He faced challenges that would have stopped anyone, yet he continued to look forward, always with a smile and a stubborn determination that inspired us all," Domenicali added. "While his loss is profoundly felt, his legacy remains strong."
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on X that Zanardi's racing career and "journey from life-changing accident to Paralympics gold medalist made him one of sport's most admired competitors and an enduring symbol of courage and determination."
Noted for his infectious smile and fanciful storytelling, Zanardi was praised by Pope Francis after his 2020 crash as an example of strength amid adversity. Francis penned a handwritten letter of encouragement assuring Zanardi and his family of his prayers.
Zanardi's family added that it "thanks everyone who is sharing their support right now and asks for respect during this time of mourning."
Funeral details were still to be announced, the family said.
The Italian Olympic Committee called for a minute of silence to be observed at all sports events in Italy over the weekend to honor Zanardi.
Zanardi, who was born in Bologna, is survived by his wife, Daniela, and son, Niccolò.
