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Thomas Josiah Boothby, Junior
My husband, Donald, had a special sparkle to his personality. He was extremely verbal and witty, full of energy, engaging and could be rather sarcastic. Imagine my surprise upon meeting his uncle, who had become estranged from the family in my husband’s infancy, and discovering they displayed the same personality characteristics. At this time in…
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My Grandfather, Tom Torchia
Every kid deserves at least one grandparent that dished out unconditional love. Amidst all the squalor of my parents’ divorce, he was the one person who was like the calm in the center of the storm. My grandfather always had a lap for us kids, always had a smile. My grandfather left Italy right before…
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Maddalena
What would possess a five foot, shy sixteen year old girl who speaks no English to get on a boat and go to the USA in 1914? She wasn’t a political refugee and was not fleeing a war zone. She was escaping a controlling mother! Her family lived comfortably in a small town, her father;…
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A lost child
Lost children can be found in many families. Their parents love them, but are too messed up themselves to be good parents. There are lots of clues of the dark side, but there are good times too. I was only 14 when I first held Tim in my arms. He was a lovable, beautiful baby.…
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Ripped off, the story of “Jim” Fressola
My only American grandparent was born in Manhattan, New York at the end of the 19th century. He was born in the USA to recent Italian immigrants. He was their last child, born when they were already advanced in age, and had more or less given up on having a son at all, having had…