A Sea of Tears: The Story of Dr. Pietro Bartolo, Voice for the Lost at Sea
Dr. Pietro Bartolo’s voice is rough with grief, his kind eyes filled with a sadness that seems to weigh upon his shoulders. He is a man of the sea, born on the windswept island of Lampedusa, a place that although geographically close to Africa, feels a world away.
He itself is a gateway to Europe, yet has seen more deaths than arrivals.
He knows firsthand the sea’s capacity for both life and tragedy. As a family doctor on Lampedusa for over thirty years, he has welcomed refugees, treated the wounded, and buried far too many souls.
“I have seen things no human being should ever see, things that haunt my dreams,” Dr. Bartolo states with a heavy sigh. “They arrive in rubber dinghies, these men, women, children escaping war, violence, hunger. My heart breaks for them, for theirhorrific journey, for the bodies they carry on their backs, not just the living, but the lost at sea.”
This island has a tragic record. Over 50,000 people have perished attempting the perilous crossing. It’s a hurdle Dr. Bartolo has seen repeated too many times: mothers handing over their children to him, body language screaming a pain no language can translate. Children born at sea, delivered into a life of uncertainty. He has held death in his hands, more than he acknowledges being able to bear.
He was the only doctor on the island for years,
wading into the dark waters of grief and despair. He carried the weight of knowing he couldn’t save everyone, the burden of being the sole witness to their silent pleas.
“They were running from war, from poverty, from the very hand of fate,” he says, his voice cracking with emotion. “They had hope. They dream of a new life, only to be swallowed by the ocean’s cruel embrace. And I,” he pauses, choked by the memory, “I opened black bag after black bag, counting the dead.”
His story is not one of easy answers. He’s not a politician, he’s a doctor who became a voice, a voice for those drowned in deep silence.
He made a commitment long ago: he wouldn’t stand by. He’d become a voice for the silenced voices, a messenger for the lost.
He traveled to Brussels, a former physician of over thirty years, now a member of the European Parliament. He’s determined to be a voice for refugees facing an escalating plight.
But Dr. Bartolo knows the realities of politics. He says in his own words, “These migrants are not invaders sending a message to exploit weaknesses. They are just people trying to survive.”
He talks about the torturous conditions he’s witnessed in Libya, migrants forced to endure unimaginable torment. Their experiences are welling with silent screams, hoping for a future they may never have.
“They are tortured, treated as though they are less than human,” he continues, the anger rising in his low voice.
Dr. Bartolo spent his time in Brussels unsettlingly aware of the disconnect. Politicians ignore these realities. They don’t see the desperation in the eyes of those lost at sea. They create division and prey on fear, using rhetoric that denies the shared humanity of all.
“We forget our humanity. We forget that these are human beings like you and me.” He finishes by saying, “I tell their stories, for
What motivates Dr. Bartolo to continue his work despite the immense pain and suffering he witnesses?
## A Sea of Tears: Interview with Dr. Pietro Bartolo
**Interviewer:** Dr. Bartolo, thank you for joining us today. The world knows Lampedusa as a gateway to Europe, but your story reveals a much heavier truth. Can you tell us about the human cost of this journey?
**Dr. Bartolo:** It is a truth that haunts me every day. For over thirty years, I have been the first face these desperate people see when they emerge from those flimsy boats. I have seen more death than any human being should, mothers clutching dead children, families torn apart by the waves. The sheer suffering… it’s unbearable.
**Interviewer:** You speak about holding death in your hands. Can you elaborate on that experience?
**Dr. Bartolo:** (long pause) Imagine a tiny child, still clinging to a piece of driftwood, their eyes vacant, their little body cold. Or a young mother, clutching a photo of a child she could not save. This is not just a number, it is a life extinguished, a future stolen.
**Interviewer:** You’ve mentioned that over 50,000 people have perished trying to reach Lampedusa. How has that affected you personally?
**Dr. Bartolo:** 50,000 souls… each one a story, a tragedy. It weighs on me, my friend. It’s a burden I carry every day. I see their faces in my dreams, feel the cold grip of their lifeless hands. It’s a pain that never fully leaves you.
**Interviewer:** Despite the unimaginable pain, you’ve continued your work. What keeps you going?
**Dr. Bartolo:** These people deserve compassion, they deserve dignity. They are fleeing violence, hunger, persecution. I will not turn my back on them. Even if it’s just a small act of kindness, a hand to hold, a comforting word, I will continue fighting for them.
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