Hi, my name is Simone, I’m a 31-year-old artist and small business owner from Italy.

I’m heartbroken to share that my suitcase was stolen on my way back from Dokomi in Düsseldorf while I was on the train in Italy (between Bolzano and Treviso).

It contained not just personal items like clothes, shoes, and the tools I use for my booth setup, but also all the earnings from the event and my external hard drive with more than five years of work and personal files (designs, documents, backups, photos, and more).

This couldn’t have happened at a worse moment.

During the convention, I received the exciting news that I landed a new job. I was preparing to move back to Milan to begin this new chapter. The money I earned was going to cover the cost of relocating and finding a place to live, especially since my grandmother (with whom I currently live) is moving to another region in August.

As someone who’s always worked hard and built everything from the ground up, it’s incredibly difficult to ask for help. But right now, I’m in urgent need of support to recover and move forward.

If you can donate, even just a small amount, it would truly help me through this difficult time.

Here’s a breakdown of how I’ll be using the funds from the GoFundMe — just to be transparent and keep things clear

Housing costs I’m currently looking for a room to rent in Milan. Most places start at €550–600/month — and that’s before counting upfront deposits, agency fees, and condo expenses. 

  Basic essentials I also need to buy some clothes — underwear, socks, a couple of t-shirts and shorts. Nothing fancy, just the bare minimum to feel decent and comfortable again. 

Replacing some tech I lost a few essentials recently — I need to repurchase chargers and an external hard drive to back up my documents and work files. 

(Also… I know it sounds silly, but I’m really missing my electric toothbrush I swear I’m trying with the regular one, but it’s just not the same.) Slide 4: 

Medical & mental health I’ve got a long list of health checks ahead: blood work, allergy testing, scans for my back and neck, and more — trying to get to the bottom of what’s been going on lately.

I also pay weekly for therapy (€49/session) — I’ve started working on my anxiety and rebuilding my self-esteem. It’s a long road, but I’m committed to it.

If you’re not in a position to give, please consider sharing this campaign; it would still make a huge difference.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and supporting me.

Every little bit counts, and I’m deeply grateful for your kindness

With love,

Simone

This is a picture of my booth at Dokomi 2025

And this one is from 2023, when I took part at Dokomi with my Mom. In this picture, you can also see the suitcase that has been stolen =(