A viral video capturing a grieving Italian grandfather dancing at his teenage grandson’s funeral has sparked intense reactions online. The 66-year-old, identified as Gino Gentilin, faced criticism after the clip surfaced but has now opened up about why he chose to honor his 15-year-old grandson with a dance—a decision he says was a tribute that helped him cope with the profound loss. His grandson, tragically killed in a road accident, had shared a close bond with Gentilin.
Gentilin explained, “In my case, it was that dance that saved me. When I finished dancing in front of my grandson’s coffin, I clearly heard his voice in my head. He said to me, ‘Thank you, Grandpa.’ And suddenly I felt empty as if a lot of that suffering that I carried inside me had come out,” he told Corriere Del Veneto, an Italian media outlet.
Seeking family’s blessing for a last tribute
Before stepping onto the dance floor, Gentilin took a sensitive approach: he sought permission from his son and daughter-in-law, who both understood and supported his desire to express his love through dance. “It was my idea, but first I asked my son and Kevin’s mother if they were okay with it,” Gentilin shared. “The speaker started pumping out music: first 883, then Brothers, and finally a remix of DJ Matrix. In those moments, I felt Kevin’s presence among us, and I felt that he wanted me to dance with him so that we could have fun together once again.”
“Apologies if I offended…”
After the video went viral, the social media backlash poured in, with some users criticizing Gentilin’s choice. Addressing the negative comments, he offered an apology, explaining he had not intended to offend anyone. “What I didn’t know was that they would film the scene with their cell phones and that the video would end up on social media and in the newspapers,” he said. “I apologize if I have offended anyone’s sensibilities, but believe me: that dance, a declaration of love, saved me.”
A bond beyond words: “Two Kindred Spirits”
Gentilin shared that his connection with Kevin, his grandson, was extraordinarily close. “Every night we would talk, and he’d tell me everything about his projects and passions,” Gentilin reflected. “Every occasion was good for asking me to go with him and his friends to the disco. And under the DJ console, more than grandfather and grandson, we seemed like two accomplices who had a lot of fun dancing together.”
Details of the Tragic Accident
Kevin’s life was cut short while he was on his way to school, riding his Vespa, when he was suddenly struck by a car. Gentilin recounted the heartbreaking moments that followed the accident. “I got there a few minutes after the accident,” he said. “He was lying on the ground, and I sat down next to him. We stayed like that for at least half an hour. He was already dead, and I remember that, while I was caressing him, I kept wondering why we couldn’t switch bodies.”
Gentilin’s dance, while unconventional, stands as a deeply personal act of grief and love—a final tribute to a grandson he considered his partner in joy and laughter. Despite the mixed reactions, Gentilin remains steadfast, emphasizing the comfort he found in honoring his grandson the way they had enjoyed life together: through dance.
