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In the years leading up to his death, Pier Giorgio was closest to his friend Marco Beltramo. Marco entered the air force academy late in 1924. On November 4, 1924, Pier Giorgio wrote the following to Marco,
"Congratulations on your exam results... The news made me happy but it also saddened me; indeed, there can be no joy without sorrow, in fact for me it means, alas! your absence and my thoughts strayed back to the happy days spent together on our mountain excursions. The only comfort in these happy and, at the same time, sad thoughts, is the certainty that the unique bond that knows no distance unites us and, with the Grace of God, I hope will always unite us: Faith, the Common Ideals that you will be able to uphold in your career with the means that a military life will offer you and that I, with God's help, will obtain to defend and sustain my future adult life. ... Let me remind you that in three year's time when you finish at the academy, one of the first flights you make must have Robespierre aboard..." (Robespierre was Pier Giorgio's nickname for himself.)
Exactly eight months after writing this letter, Pier Giorgio
died and was never able to take that much anticipated flight with Marco. Instead, Marco attended Pier Giorgio's funeral in his military uniform. He can be seen in this photo walking just ahead of Pier Giorgio's coffin.
In later years, Marco participated in various events marking the anniversary of Pier Giorgio's death. However, he died before Pier Giorgio was beatified.