Francesca Martino Memorial

Francesca Luciana Ferrari Rojas Tijerina Martino, 23, was killed in a traffic accident on Monday, October 19, 2009, in Orlando, Florida. The other driver was at fault and was cited with violating Florida Statute 316.122 vehicle turning left. Legal issues are discussed separately. She was wearing her Shoei RF-1000 full face helmet, Cortech Adrenaline gloves, leather jacket and Garne Black Rose boots at the time of the accident.

Francesca Martino was nearing graduation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and was already an intern at NASA while still taking classes at Embry-Riddle. She had already completed 200 credits when it takes 120 credits to graduate. She was majoring in aerospace engineering, aerospace studies, and minoring in mechanical engineering, mathematics, human factors (ergonomics) and psychology. She was posthumously awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering (aka rocket science) on Monday, May 10, 2010.

Articles about her life have already been written at:

Feel free to post publicly on any of the blogs above, or you may send a private email to Richard & Cecilia Martino.

A memorial fund has been established to pay her college debts and to help other students studying the arts and sciences. Donations will be accepted at the:

From the monies donated to this fund, we awarded the first annual Francesca Luciana Martino Memorial Scholarship at St. Petersburg Catholic High School from which Francesca graduated in 2004. This scholarship is awarded to the member of the graduating class who exudes a passion for mathematics as a tool to design and complete engineering projects. In 2011, this scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to Christina Ann Kathleen Lahiff. Inscribed on the plaque is one of Francesca's favorite quotations:

Martino family history
Ghizzoni family history
Favorite quotations