Hundreds Honor Andorran Transplant Advocate Toni Gamero at Joyful Farewell Mass

Hundreds gathered at Santa Eulàlia parish church in Encamp on Saturday to bid farewell to Toni Gamero Barrantes, former president of the Associació de Trasplantats i Donants d'Andorra (ATIDA), in a ceremony blending sorrow with joyful tributes to his life and legacy.

The event, lasting around an hour, drew family, friends, neighbours, and transplant community members, filling the church to capacity. Former ATIDA president Núria Gras, who led the association from its 2016 founding until passing the role to Gamero in June 2022, called it more a homage than a traditional mass. She described him as "sympathetic, honest, brave, and deeply human," reading passages from his latest book, *¿Y ahora qué?*, which reflected on rebuilding life after illness. Gamero had been unable to present it at Sant Jordi due to his worsening condition.

Gamero passed away on 18 May from acute myeloid leukaemia following years of intense treatments. He underwent a bone marrow transplant on 7 April 2020 at Barcelona's Hospital Clínic, courtesy of an anonymous German donor amid the pandemic, securing six additional years to travel, write, advocate, and compete. ATIDA representatives shared his writings, including thanks to his donor—"He gave me a second chance to keep living"—and pleas for support: "Look to your side. You can help someone feel better."

The service featured music, speeches, and vivid recollections. It opened solemnly before Pedro Capó's "La fiesta" filled the space, prompting attendees to stand, dance, and share memories. "Good people aren't buried, they're planted," one speaker noted. A friend pictured Gamero bursting through the doors, exclaiming, "What the hell are you doing here? This isn't the party." Others evoked his expansive hugs, extended dinners, mountain walks, trips, photography, and drive to reunite school friends—efforts that poignantly aligned with his farewell. "We couldn't hold it without you," a former classmate said, voice cracking.

Tributes highlighted his bronze medal in darts at the 2025 World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, where he represented Andorra and felt a special connection to his donor's homeland. A niece from Liechtenstein assembled a video of family highlights, while a book captured written messages from guests. The Encamp priest arranged for close family to re-enter with Gamero's wife carrying his ashes, met by applause.

Throughout, Gamero's mantra resurfaced: "collect moments," embracing the present without presuming the future. "We know we have today, but not tomorrow," friends recalled. Associates pledged to advance his organ donation advocacy: "We'll carry on these messages for him and for everyone." Gras emphasized his enduring image as someone with a smile and encouraging word, always prioritizing others.