Patrizia Reggiani hospitalized in intensive care after falling ill during Riccione vacation

Sudden illness on hotel terrace

Patrizia Reggiani, 77, was staying at a four-star hotel in Riccione on the Riviera Romagnola, having arrived at the end of July 2026 with her personal assistant for a couple of weeks of vacation. She had checked into the hotel's suite for a period of rest. In the late morning of Monday 3 August, while on the terrace of her suite, she suffered a sudden illness. Her assistant immediately alerted hotel staff, who promptly called 118, Italy's emergency number. Given the gravity of her condition, the emergency responders on the scene arranged her immediate transport to the hospital. After initial treatment on site, Reggiani was taken urgently to Rimini's "Infermi" hospital, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit. The exact causes of the illness remain under medical investigation, and further assessments are expected to clarify what led to the hospitalization.

Medical condition and possible causes

As of 8 August, Reggiani's prognosis remains reserved. However, according to Il Resto del Carlino, there is cautious optimism: in recent hours her clinical picture has shown gradual and constant improvement, though she remains under strict medical monitoring. Among the hypotheses for the illness, all yet to be verified, is prolonged exposure to heat and sun during the central hours of the day. Reggiani was reportedly on the terrace of her suite sunbathing when the illness struck. Medical assessments are ongoing to determine the precise cause of the malore that led to her intensive care admission at the Rimini hospital.

The Gucci murder case

Born in Vignola, in the province of Modena, in 1948, Reggiani married Maurizio Gucci, heir to the famous fashion house, in 1972. The couple had two daughters, Alessandra and Allegra. After their separation and divorce, Gucci was shot dead on 27 March 1995 by gunfire in front of his office in via Palestro, Milan. The hitman who carried out the killing was Benedetto Ceraulo, a pizza chef. Reggiani was arrested in 1997 at the end of Criminalpol investigations and accused of ordering the murder. She denied any involvement throughout the investigations and the subsequent trial, maintaining her innocence, but was definitively sentenced to 26 years in prison. She served approximately 17 years at Milan's San Vittore prison and was released in 2016 for good conduct.

Life after prison

Reggiani, nicknamed the "vedova nera" (black widow) or "Lady Gucci," now lives in a villa in Milan's Guastalla district near the Duomo, together with her dog and parrot. Her life after prison has been described as surrounded by luxury. According to Fanpage, she recently inherited 20 million euros from her 90-year-old mother Silvana Barbieri. She also owns a property complex worth at least 14 million euros behind Milan's Central Station. From her mother she had already received a Gothic castle in central Milan valued at 10 million euros, a 10,000-square-metre warehouse in via Mecenate, and hundreds of apartments.