Endemol Shine TV executive Valentina Gioia killed in Leichhardt crash
A mum-of-two and TV executive who worked on MAFS and Lego Masters has been named as the pedestrian fatally hit by a truck in Leichhardt.
NSW
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A woman who died after being struck by a truck in a tragic pedestrian accident in Sydney’s inner west has been remembered by friends as a “loving” mother and “beautiful person”.
Valentina Gioia, 43, was walking to the shops in her local suburb of Leichhardt on Tuesday morning when she stepped out to cross Marion St and Flood St and was struck by a passing truck.
Others at the busy intersection rushed to Ms Gioia’s aid until paramedics arrived, but she died at the scene.
Speaking on behalf of Ms Gioia’s broken hearted husband Anthony Tripodi, her sister-in-law Lisa Tripodi said the tragedy had left the family “devastated”, but they were gathering together in support of her husband and their two young boys – Luca, 9, and Alessio, 7.
“Val was amazing, everything about her was amazing. She loved her family and she lived for those boys,” Ms Tripodi told The Daily Telegraph.
“Anthony is just devastated. You never imagine that something like this could happen to you or your family, or someone you love.
“Anthony was the eldest of four children, so we have a large family and we’re all together. Their boys are distracted at the moment, obviously yesterday they were very shocked but they’re kids so it’s hard to tell how they’re processing it.”
Ms Gioia moved from Italy with her family at a young age, before they set up a new life in Sydney.
She had forged a career as a talented TV executive and had worked for production company Endemol Shine Australia for more than a decade, including on hit shows such as Married At First Sight and Lego Masters.
Colleagues at Endemol Shine Australia said Ms Gioia was much loved and respected by her peers, and her passing had hit the industry hard.
She married husband Anthony, the principal of local real estate agency Belle Property Newtown, in 2011 and the couple were preparing to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary later this year.
“She was the most beautiful person you could meet, no one had a bad word to say about her,” local cafe owner and friend Debbie Colacicco said.
“We grew up together and our families were very close, she lives across the road from one of my cafes so she came in daily.
“She has two young boys, she loved those boys so much.”
Witnesses to the crash said Ms Gioia was distracted with her phone and appeared to have run a red pedestrian light before being struck by the turning van.
Police and paramedics set up a crime scene at the busy intersection about 10.30am, with the area remaining closed to traffic for some time.
“She had a phone and just thought she could beat the red man light,” one woman at the intersection said.
“The poor driver was in shock. It is just very sad and upsetting, she was a young woman, wearing active wear, and just ran across the red light.”
The 43-year-old truck driver, who was making a delivery a short distance away, was slumped against the wall in shock before police retrieved a chair from a nearby pub for him to collapse into.
He was taken away for mandatory drug and alcohol testing, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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