Gabriele Serpi
IT Consultant Senior & Broadcast Director/Engineer & Geek
Known online as Gsflash since 1999, a pseudonym born from the fusion of "Gabriele Serpi" and "Flash", the Macromedia Flash software that opened the doors to his professional world. Thanks to his rare expertise with this software, highly sought after in the 2000s, he began his career at the multinational technology company Softlab.
Born in Rome in 1980 to a Sardinian father with Spanish coastal roots and a Roman mother of eighth generation, Gabriele began his journey in the IT world in 1987, developing over the years deep expertise in various areas of computing.
Photo taken for the World Deaf Tech (WDT) organization in 2018
During his early childhood, Gabriele faced communication difficulties that led to the separation of his siblings among different foster families. At age three, due to his liveliness, his parents decided to confine him in a wooden "cage" to prevent accidents. In 1985, a street vendor discovered the situation and called the police, leading to the arrest of his parents and the subsequent revocation of parental rights.
Gabriele was entrusted to a new family that invested in his growth, helping him recover the lost years. In 1987 he began speech therapy, a journey that lasted ten years. Despite an accident in 1988 that risked compromising his ability to speak, Gabriele fully recovered.
Gabriele during Deaflympics Erzurum (Turkey) as ICSD Media Advisor 2024
In 1989, Gabriele and his foster parents survived a serious car accident, an event that further strengthened their bonds. In 1995, Gabriele began immersing himself in the deaf world, finding happiness and identity in the community.
In 2013 he underwent a lamellar corneal transplant. Initially the operation seemed promising, but in 2015, with the removal of sutures, the outcome was not as hoped, leading to a significant loss of vision in the operated eye.
2015 proved to be a turbulent year: Gabriele faced panic attacks, anxiety, depression and a hiatal hernia, which caused him to lose 25 kg. These events isolated him for about three years.
Despite this, between 2016 and 2017 he began attending international events, trying to face his fears. In 2016 he took part in an IT congress in Mexico and another in Madrid. In 2017 he attended the WFD (World Federation of the Deaf) in Budapest.
IT Congress in Queretaro (Mexico) 2016
World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Budapest 2017
In 2018, Gabriele completely emerged from the dark phase, rediscovering himself and beginning to travel more frequently. He discovered a particular affinity with Spain, which he perceived as a "second home".
Meanwhile, Gabriele and Monica, despite separating in 2015, continued to collaborate to raise Jennifer until 2021. Jennifer, deaf like her parents, has always shown great determination. Today, in 2024, Jennifer is a well-known influencer on social networks, with over 2 million followers.
In 2020, Gabriele began teaching IT to the deaf community, focusing on Oracle and Linux, helping improve employment opportunities for many people.
In 2021, thanks to his IT knowledge and contacts developed with Spanish friends, Gabriele successfully embarked on a career as broadcast director. It was Irina, a member of the Deaf Champions League (DCL), who proposed he broadcast futsal matches during an event in Madrid. That experience was a springboard: from there, he never stopped.
In addition to being well known for IT, Gabriele found a new path as a broadcaster, giving him motivation and stimulation. Thanks to his experience, 90% of broadcast events have involved students who worked with him, achieving excellent results.
The impact of his work was such as to inspire artist Jonathan Navarro to create an avatar that perfectly captures the essence of Gabriele: a professional who combines technology and creativity to break down communication barriers.
📸 Discover Jonathan Navarro's work
Artistic avatar created by Jonathan Navarro, representing Gabriele in his role as Broadcast Director
His dream is to sit on the sofa and watch on TV shows and sporting events made entirely by deaf people. This is to demonstrate the capabilities of deaf people, fighting the prejudices of hearing people. During various events, many have changed their minds after seeing how Gabriele managed the broadcasts and taught deaf people to excel in their work.
The ultimate goal is to reduce prejudices against deaf people and spread confidence, showing that, with the right tools, they can achieve great things.
3x3 Basketball World Championships DIBF-ICSD at Gallaudet University, Washington 2024
The Logo
The logo, representing Gabriele's visual identity, was created by the talented designer Paolo Aisa, capturing the essence of his professionalism in the IT and broadcasting world.
📸 Discover Paolo Aisa's work