Even celebrity lawyers need a little help sometimes—especially when their passports go missing in Tuscany.
Harley Lewin, the American attorney who has represented some of the world’s top names in fashion and entertainment, faced a stressful situation during a summer getaway in Italy. After traveling by train with his wife, Lewin realized upon checking into his hotel in central Florence that he had left his backpack on board. Inside were not just personal items, but also the couple’s passports.
In a moment of understandable panic, Lewin turned to a friend with excellent local connections: none other than Andrea Bocelli. The famed tenor quickly activated his network to assist.
Thanks to the tracking feature on Lewin’s AirPods, the couple discovered that the bag had ended up in Pisa Centrale railway station. Local police were informed, but the backpack was nowhere to be seen—until a private security team stepped in.
Enter Guardie di Città, a Pisa-based security company. After a tip-off from former Forte dei Marmi mayor Umberto Buratti, who also knew Lewin, the company’s director, Mariano Bizzarri Ollandini, dispatched a recovery team. The backpack was soon located at the station’s train depot, verified, and—most importantly—contained the passports.
By the end of the day, the bag was safely back in the hands of the relieved couple.
Thanks to a mix of technology, a bit of Tuscan luck, and a world-famous tenor, what could have been a vacation nightmare turned into a story with a happy ending. Not bad for a country more famous for opera and pasta than punctuality.
Support Florence Daily News
Florence Daily News is an independent news site covering the stories, culture, and life of Florence and Tuscany. We don’t rely on clickbait, invasive or hidden advertising, or paywalls. Instead, we believe in quality journalism that respects our readers and serves those who care about thoughtful, local reporting.
If you value our work, consider supporting us with a donation.
Donate securely via Stripe below.
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyDiscover more from Florence Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.