The family members of Joe Barone express their gratitude towards the Fiorentina fans for their unwavering support during this challenging time, acknowledging it as a source of immense comfort. Barone, who tragically passed away on March 19 at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan following cardiac arrest, was honored by over 10,000 Fiorentina supporters who gathered at Viola Park to pay their respects. Tonight, as the team prepares to play its first competitive match since Barone’s passing, his children and wife have conveyed their appreciation to the Fiorentina community through a letter published on the club’s official website.
“Popolo Viola,
“The Barone Family would like to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support during this profoundly challenging time. The passing of our beloved father has left a void in our lives that can never be filled. Your outpouring of love has been a source of immense comfort to us all and reminds us that we are not alone in our grief.
“We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to President Rocco B. Commisso, his family, and the entire Fiorentina community. You allowed our father to live his dream, and for that, we are forever grateful. To the entire Fiorentina staff, continue to work with the same enthusiasm and passion as our father. To every coach and player, continue to honor the badge and fight relentlessly as our father did.
“To the Curva Fiesole, continue to be the lifeblood of the stadium. Your voices will echo his spirit in the sky. As we head into the first match without him, we ask you to immortalize Joe Barone.
“Sempre Forza Viola,
“Pietro, Gabriella, Salvatore e Giuseppe Barone.”
Barone had been Fiorentina’s general manager since 2019 when Rocco Commisso acquired the club from the Della Valle family. Before his spell at the Stadio Franchi, he had served as the New York Cosmos’ vice president.
Barone’s funerals were held in Pozzallo, Sicily, where the Italian-American director was born in 1966 and New York, where he had moved when he was eight.