Many fans of little Francisco Bombini, known as "Super Chico" (Chico is short for Francisco in Portuguese) were shocked by the news of his death on February 6, 2023.
According to family members, the 6-year-old boy – who went viral in past years for his cute photos and his strength in overcoming COVID twice despite his comorbidities – suffered cardiac arrest while sleeping. He was at home in the city of Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
The announcement of Super Chico's death caused a great commotion on the internet. When talking about her son's departure, his mother revealed in an Instagram post that she believes the boy, who hadn’t learned to talk, spent the day talking to God:
From time to time I noticed that he was whispering with someone, and if I looked he would try to hide it (...). And I thought: who is Chico talking to???
I’m sure that we all have a mission in this life, and Chico's mission was to plant seeds of love in people's hearts! This was his daily task, and afterwards he gave an account, filing reports and everything else; that's why he talked so much! ‘Daddy in Heaven, today I made a person smile (...)! One more!' And I found out that it was God to whom he reported! Every day, every minute!
A chat with God
But what was the content of this conversation between this little angel here on earth and his Boss in heaven? Super Chico's mother speculates:
They talked about his mission, about love, about changing people’s outlook for a more equal, humane world, about how they could make things better (...). In the last report of his life on Earth he wrote: ‘I was here, and I tried to make a difference here! Here I gave examples and here I lived intensely with much strength, with my head held high and always very happy!!! I leave Mom, Dad, my great grandparents, my grandmas and grandpa, uncles, family, and friends, all of you, but with a homework assignment: continue my work! It was marvelous!’
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Fighting for life
Super Chico fought heroic battles for life. Diagnosed with Down syndrome during gestation, he underwent surgery inside his mother's womb before he was even born. Later, he had several more operations because of kidney and heart problems.
His mother started sharing his care routine on social networks and often dressed him up in superhero costumes (hence his nickname).
As if all his comorbidities were not enough, Super Chico still had to fight an invisible global enemy: he caught COVID twice. The second time, he spent 15 days in the ICU, but left the hospital smiling, victorious, and – of course – wearing his superhero costume.
Devotion to St. Francis
Super Chico was born on October 6, two days after the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, to whom the whole family is devoted. Super Chico's mother always helps organize a charity event close to the saint's day to raise money for charities in the town where the family lives.
Certainly, God and St. Francis will receive this little warrior with great joy in Heaven.
