World War II Veteran Reunites with Italian Children He Almost Shot
A Heartwarming Reunion
After 77 long years, a World War II veteran, Martin Adler, was finally reunited with the three Italian children he had narrowly avoided shooting in the final months of the conflict. The emotional meeting took place at the Bologna airport, thanks to the efforts of social media and a dedicated journalist.
A Close Call
In October 1944, Private Martin Adler was searching for hidden Nazis in the small Italian village of Cassano di Monterenzio. Suddenly, he noticed movement inside a large wicker basket. Assuming he had found an enemy soldier, Adler trained his machine gun on the basket and prepared to shoot.
A Mother’s Courage
But in that split second, a woman rushed into the room and stood directly in front of Adler’s gun. She yelled, “Bambinis! Bambinis! Bambinis!”—Italian for “children.” Adler realized his mistake and lowered his gun.
“That was a real hero, the mother, not me,” Adler later recalled.
A Lasting Memory
Three young children—two girls and a boy—emerged from the basket. Relieved and laughing, Adler asked the trio to take a photograph with him. Their mother agreed, on the condition that she could first dress them in their best clothes.
Adler assumed he would never see the children again, but last December, his daughter, Rachelle Adler Donley, posted the black-and-white photo on several World War II veteran Facebook groups.
A Daughter’s Search
Adler Donley’s search was motivated by a desire to cheer up her father, who was isolated with his wife in a Florida retirement community. Her post caught the attention of Italian journalist Matteo Incerti, who alerted local newspapers and television stations.
A Successful Search
Incerti’s efforts proved successful. One of the children’s family members recognized the trio as Bruno, Mafalda, and Giuliana Naldi. When Adler first met them, the Naldis were between 3 and 6 years old. Now, they were octogenarians with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
An Emotional Reunion
The Naldi siblings and Adler initially reunited over video call last December. By Monday, Covid-19 travel restrictions had eased enough for Adler to travel from Florida to Bologna, where he greeted the Naldi siblings in person for the first time in 77 years.
“My heart is bursting,” Adler told reporters.
A Lifetime of Gratitude
Bruno, Mafalda, Giuliana, and many of their descendants attended the gathering.
“Knowing that Martin could have shot and that none of my family would exist is something very big,” said Roberta Fontana, Giuliana’s granddaughter. “It is very emotional.”
A Soldier’s Redemption
Adler wore a T-shirt printed with the decades-old image and handed each sibling a chocolate bar—a callback to their first encounter, when he had offered them chocolate wrapped in a blue-and-white wrapper.
The veteran planned to travel to the siblings’ hometown of Monterenzio before visiting Naples and Rome, where he hoped to meet Pope Francis.
A Haunting Memory
Incerti revealed that Adler had suffered from PTSD after the war. Adler Donley added that her father still had nightmares from his time abroad. The soldier’s chance meeting with the Naldi children stood out as a rare happy memory from what was otherwise a difficult tour.
“Everyone is calling it a Christmas miracle,” Incerti had said when the group first reconnected. “Adler said this is the nicest thing that has ever happened to him.”
