Overview
- De Chiesa describes being shot in the neck at a dinner near Busto Arsizio when his then-girlfriend picked up a loaded .38 Smith & Wesson and fired, with the bullet missing his carotid artery and spine by millimeters.
- He says he told authorities the gun went off during cleaning, chose not to file a complaint, and accepted the case being closed to avoid ruining her life.
- He recalls driving to the hospital in Gallarate, suffering severe shock and weight loss, and later recognizing symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress.
- The episode halted his skiing career for over a season before his World Cup return in January 1980, followed by a podium at Madonna di Campiglio in 1981 and a total of 13 career podiums.
- The account is presented in his autobiography and elaborated in a Corriere della Sera interview published Sunday, with details framed as his personal recollection.