Matías Bottoni spoke 40 days after the Parque Roca pool accident: "Some days we make progress, others we don't, but little by little we make small strides."

“Little by little, small things are being achieved,” says Matías Bottoni . He’s barely 17 years old, but his voice sounds firm, with a confidence you wouldn’t expect from someone going through the most difficult 40 days of his life. As a child, he dreamed of swimming in competitions, entering the water, and feeling like anything was possible. But on Saturday, May 10, everything changed. While warming up for a competition at Parque Roca, an accident caused a spinal cord injury that halted his career and put his life on hold. Today, at APREPA, a rehabilitation center located on the outskirts of Rosario, Matías faces each day with the firm hope of returning to his former self.

With the support of his family and girlfriend, the swimmer is going through a slow recovery process, but with a resilience that knows no bounds . He doesn't settle for what he's given: he demands more exercises, he insists, he even trains on weekends and holidays, when he doesn't have time for rehabilitation. He also takes advantage of the opportunity to receive visitors or watch movies. Every little bit helps, and Matías knows it.

Day after day, he is sustained by the love of hundreds of messages he has received since his accident. The support of iconic Argentine sports figures like Ángel Di María , José Meolans , and Giovani Lo Celso drives him to keep fighting. He is also deeply moved by the affection of River Plate fans, his favorite club, like Franco Armani, and eternal idols like Burrito Ortega and Chori Domínguez . In an exclusive interview with Clarín , Matías talks about his health, the small improvements his body has made, how he faces each day, and what public support means to him.

-I feel fine right now. I'm working on my recovery. It's a slow process, but I'm making small progress little by little.

I've been able to move my arms for a while now, but I'm making progress very gradually and slowly. A couple of days ago, for example, I started moving some fingers on my right hand that I couldn't move before, small movements. Feeling is coming back very slowly. I can move my neck and upper chest, but I still have no control from there down.

-Did you start feeling tenderness in your lower back?

Yes, there's some tenderness in the feet and the back of the legs . But it's not normal tenderness. It's tingling and small things that you feel, but it's not yet normal.

-You notice small steps every week…

-Yes, there are days when you make progress, others when you don't, and you're more stuck. But little by little, you're achieving small things.

-What does your rehabilitation consist of?

-There are two shifts, one in the afternoon and one in the morning. It consists of both physical therapy with kinesiology and exercises in the gym, and occupational therapy, which are more therapeutic exercises aimed more at fine motor skills in the upper body.

-Don't you have therapy on weekends or holidays?

-No Saturdays or Sundays and some holidays, such as today (Friday the 20th), which is an important holiday for Flag Day.

-What do you do during those days?

-Look, I get to do certain exercises as homework, so to speak. I do them, and on the weekends I also have visitors. I spend my free time watching movies, or chatting outside with the visitor. I have the opportunity to go out, which has a nice green space outdoors.

-Yes, the truth is that APREPA is better than Fleni (Escobar) in terms of comfort, especially in the quality of care I'm receiving here. I'm a little more content in that sense.

-Obviously, it's a very hard process and I have my days. There are days when I feel better, others when I feel worse, but well, you get through it.

-Do you feel the affection of the people?

-Yes, I'm receiving a lot of messages. I'm receiving all the support, and I'm grateful for it. It's very difficult, but the truth is that people's support is incredible, and I'm very grateful.

-Aside from your family, you have a rock-solid girlfriend who never leaves your side for a single minute...

-Yes, it's true…he was with me. He's a very important support for me, and, as you say, he's been with me from the very beginning.

-Did you receive many messages from athletes?

-Yes, a lot of people, a lot of soccer players who sent me videos cheering me on. It was really nice. Lo Celso, Meolans, Di María, also River Plate players like Armani, and then more historic players like Burrito Ortega and Chori Domínguez.

-Many people are waiting for your recovery…

-I'm so grateful for the space. I want to send messages of gratitude to all the people who support me and send me those messages, who pray for me, and who support me, whether financially or in any way. A message to my family and me.

As Matías Bottoni recovers, the support of his family becomes a fundamental pillar as he navigates this difficult and uncertain path. Behind every small step forward, there is silent work, a network of professional support, and emotional support that can be felt in every word.

“He has a family doctor and he told me that Matías wants more in rehabilitation . They give him an exercise and he wants to keep doing it… he has that athlete's mentality,” reveals his mother, Valeria Grimaux.

Matías had reached a key point in his career: he was in a tournament with a chance to qualify for the South American Championships and, according to his mother, he was selected for the JADA Games, which will be held in Rosario. At times, he and his family feel the sadness of what couldn't happen. " He starts to lament, 'If only I could have been in the national tournament.' Sometimes he has those lows..." his mother says.

His family and the medical team supporting him understand the complexity of the process they're facing and are working together to provide him with the best possible care. "Matías has his mental health team, a psychologist and psychiatrist; he's closely monitored. I communicate with the psychiatrist; we have small meetings," says his mother, who is attentive to every detail of his treatment.

The goal is for Matías' rehabilitation to include hydrotherapy sessions in the future, a key aspect of his training, although the preparation for returning to the water will be lengthy. "Well, obviously there are hydrotherapy pools here. They're working on this so that one day he'll be ready to return to the water , because hydrotherapy is incredibly good for him," explains his mother.

He also revealed that the spinal cord shows signs of recovery every week: "It's like something that was dormant is slowly waking up. The spinal cord is in shock and has to come out slowly; it takes time because everything is still inflamed . There are still tests to be done; we have an MRI pending and a consultation with a neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery," he added.

"All the specialists are there. It's not like they come and go. We're used to the FLENI, where, unfortunately, only one pediatrician always comes. And all the specialists you look for are here, and if there aren't any, they offer them to you. They want Mati to be monitored," he emphasizes.

Matías also incorporated supplements and vitamins into his treatment under medical supervision. “They're super open here. Mati has now also started taking some supplements, vitamins, and other things like Omega 3. All of these things are discussed among professionals; they seek the best for him without selfishness or indifference, which is why we're also comfortable,” says his mother.

However, the struggle is daily and exhausting. “It’s impossible to go back to work. I’m with Matías 24/7. It’s difficult. I wasn’t in the accident, but sometimes I dream about it, I wake up thinking about the crash he had . We’re still in the process,” Valeria confesses. Unable to return to work, the family relies on the help of those who support them in this difficult battle. “Thank you so much to everyone. Without everyone’s support, I don’t know what we would have done,” she concludes with deep emotion.

► CBU: 0720101788000035926254

► Aliases: LUCIANOMARTINBOTTONI

► Account holder: Bottoni Luciano Martin

► Holder's ID: 25.524.775