His decline began on 19 July 1950, when he climbed a ladder leaning against a wall of the building to repair some water pipes and the ladder tipped over, causing him to fall from a considerable height and suffer internal injuries. It was immediately apparent that this was something serious, and later the doctors discovered, as he himself understood, that it was a latent illness that the blow had revived and it hastened the end of his days. Symptoms of incurable liver cancer appeared, which developed inexorably and rapidly, leading to his death six months later.

On 27 February 1951, at his insistent request, he was given Viaticum and the Anointing of the Sick. The house chronicle for March 1951 reports his words: ‘How wonderful to die as a Salesian and in Patagonia!’ After receiving the sacraments, the disease continued its course and Zatti maintained his joyful serenity despite his severe suffering. He prepared his death certificate for Dr Sussini: ‘Dr Antonio Sussini certifies that Artemides Zatti, aged 70, resident in Viedma, Calle Gallardo s/n, son of Luis Zatti and Albina Vecchi, naturalised Argentine, died of liver failure on … at… in the San José Hospital, as attested by having assisted him’.

On 13 March, he received a letter from the Provincial, Fr Carlo Mariano Pérez, who left him some tasks to do in Paradise. At 6:00 a.m. on 15 March, he entered into the final death throes and fell asleep in the Lord at 6:30 a.m. The Rector immediately celebrated Mass. The college chronicle notes that, according to custom, in the morning the bell announced his flight to heaven: one less confrere at home and one more saint in heaven.

Zatti’s body was laid out in a modest coffin. People began to gather, and the crowd remained throughout the day and night, filling the chapel from dawn to dusk. The funeral was celebrated on 16 March. The participation of the authorities and the people was impressive and heartfelt. The simple news of Br Zatti’s death had moved the hearts of the entire population of Viedma and a significant part of the population of Patagonia, resulting in a veritable plebiscite of recognition of his merits and gratitude towards him. The profound reason for such a gathering of people was expressed in this statement: ‘He was a saint.’

What Don Bosco recommended to the first Salesian missionaries leaving for Argentina was fulfilled: ‘Take special care of the sick, children, the elderly and the poor, and you will earn God’s blessing and the goodwill of people.’ Like the Good Samaritan, Zatti had welcomed the poor, the sick and those rejected by society into the inn of his heart and into the San José Hospital in Viedma. In each of them, he visited Christ, cared for Christ, fed Christ, clothed Christ, hosted Christ, honoured Christ. As a doctor at the hospital testified: ‘The only miracle I have seen in my life is Br Zatti, for the extraordinary nature of his character, his capacity for service to others and his extraordinary patience with the sick.’