Sweet Nonno

 

Just about two weeks ago my sweet Nonno (grandpa) passed away. He was a quiet man that kept to himself a lot, but when he smiled, he lit up the whole room. He battled cancer, aggressive chemo and radiation which then caused kidney failure resulting in him becoming a dialysis patient for the past twelve years. Add a fractured leg and rehab into that mix, the man went through a lot. Throughout all of his treatments and obstacles, when asked how he was doing, he would always answer with (insert cute Italian accent here) "I'm ok" with a big smile. As a matter of fact, these are the last words I remember him saying to me :) He was known to all the doctors, nurses, and therapists as the man who never complains. Not sure how he did it, but he was a real trooper. A quality to really be admired. My Nonna (grandmother) was a wonderful caregiver to him and did anything and everything to keep him in good health.

Nonno was born in Sicily and became a shoemaker by trade. He met my grandmother and shortly after they were married, he came with her to America. At one point he owned a shoe repair shop near Chicago and some of my favorite memories with him are when he would take me to his shop and he would let me play with the cash register and sewing machines in back. He was also a BIG fan of pasta and when I would eat at their house for dinner, he would always grate this mountain of cheese on top of my pasta. I would then sit there and watch him devour a bowl of pasta in minutes. Another fun memory I have is when I was little, an ice cream truck use to come by their house a lot and I knew I could always convince Nonno to supply me with the funds to get a treat. I would hear the truck coming and run into the house to find him. He would come with me to the truck and let me pick out my ice cream.

I was very lucky to have spent a lot of time with him while I was growing up and was so glad that he got to meet Miles and celebrate Christmas and his birthday with him. My Nonna just keeps saying how special it was that Nick and I were able to make him a great grandfather.

Sweet Nonno, you will be missed terribly.

A tender moment between Nonna and Nonno during his final days

Miles and Nonno at Christmas

Out celebrating Nonno's 83rd birthday