Old Soldiers Never Die

     Dad spent the first three years of his life in an Orphanage. At age three he was taken in by a foster family, the Juliano's. It was not always an easy or pleasant time for young Tony growing up in their home. Dad was one of many foster children that the Juliano's took in.
      Dad did not like school. In fact at one point, he refused to finish High School. This caused many a heated argument with his foster parents who demanded that he go back to school. A stubborn and strong willed young boy, Dad ran away from home. He biked, walked and hitchhiked from Revere, Massachusetts to Schenectady, NY. His only sustenance…bottles of milk "borrowed" from the backdoor porches of homes along the way. In those days fresh milk was delivered to your door by the Milkman.
      His foster relatives in Schenectady were more than a little surprised to find young Anthony knocking on their back door. All alone and just a little tired and hungry. A phone call was made to the Julianos, a truce was arranged and the boy who would become our Dad did not have to go back to school.
      Young Tony grew into a strong, good looking young man with dark, wavy hair. While working at the Lewis Candy Company he met Betty Guidi who also worked at the Candy Company. Through Betty our Dad met the woman who, one day, would become his wife and our Mother, Betty's sister Mary. It was not love at first sight. Mary did not like this handsome, brash young man. She felt that he was stuck up and thought too much of himself. Little did she know that Tony's bravado was a mask that hid his insecurities. Deep down inside he was still the abandoned child searching for love and his place in the world. They would, eventually, correspond when Dad joined the Army to help push back the Axis threat.
      War broke out between the U.S. and Japan in December of 1941. Germany, an ally of Japan, soon followed suit with it's own Declaration of War against the U.S. Dad answered his countries call and donned the uniform of the United States Army. Assigned to the 107th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Dad served in North Africa, Sicily and Rome. It was in Sicily that Dad earned the Bronze Star for "meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy." He was responsible for the downing of enemy fighter planes that were attacking his camp and a nearby hospital tent.
       Finally the War came to end in 1945 and Dad returned home. Three years, five months and one day after he entered the service he was, once again, a civilian.
    Tony and Mary dated, eventually married, settled down in Somerville, Massachusetts and began raising a family, two girls and one boy. Money was tight back then and Dad often worked two jobs to support his family. He drove a truck by day and worked at a local gas station nights and weekends. In later years he worked at the Somerville Hospital as the supply manager during the day and maintained a nearly full schedule at the Post Office at night.

        You would think that this would be enough responsibility for any man, but not our Dad. He and Mom took in foster children from the Catholic Charitable Bureau. Dad loved those children as he loved his own. He had a special connection with them. He had been one of them.
        Dad could be a difficult man to get close to. I don't recall that he had many friends that he could confide in. I think he feared that someone would get too close and learn, what he considered to be, the dark secret of his origins. Nonetheless he was always there to lend a helping hand to a neighbor or anyone, even strangers, in need. Battery dead? Dad was right there with the jumper cables. Stuck in a snowdrift? He was the first one there with a shovel, sand and a strong shoulder. He could be gruff at times but he was constantly guilty of these random acts of kindness. And, like the Lone Ranger, he rarely stuck around for thanks. I guess that made Mom, Tonto.
       With our Mom, Dad finally found his own place in the world. Wherever she was, that was his home. She was his safe harbor. They worked hard together to build a good home for their little family. It was a good life. They would never be rich but they did manage to build a summer home at Sagamore Beach on the Cape. It would, eventually, become their retirement home. They also traveled the world together visiting England, Russia, Spain, Morocco and Hawaii.
     As they got older they developed medical problems that forced them into Assisted Living, initially in Quincy, later in Georgia. When Mom passed away three years ago Dad felt that he had lost his safe harbor. He was once again alone. Or so he thought. Our sister, Jane, stuck by him through thick and thin, on his good days and his bad days. She was always there to make sure that he knew he was not alone.
       Last week, while Dad was in a hospital in South Carolina, it was confirmed that his health was deteriorating and he was not expected to recover .It was decided that he should be moved to Hospice care. Once that decision was made he was removed from all the monitors and IV tubes and allowed some peace. Jane told of a nurse asking Dad if he was in pain. "No" was his response. She asked if she could get him anything. His response….."Chardonnay!" As luck would have it Jane just happened to have a small bottle of the precious liquid in her bag. Dad was content.
      Always one to do things his way, Dad had his own plans concerning Hospice. He had a hot date and he was three years late. He passed away with Jane beside his bed, holding his hand and repeating, "I love you, Dad!" The little boy who came into this world alone and unloved passed into the next world knowing he was not alone and he was loved.
     There is a Christmas movie that has become a Holiday favorite called "It's A Wonderful Life!" starring Jimmy Stewart. Stewart's character, George Bailey in a moment of despondency wonders if maybe the world would have been better off if he had never been born! I think, at times, Dad felt the same way. I don't think he ever realized how many lives he touched in his 92+ years. Lives were saved through his courageous actions in North Africa and Sicily. His small, random acts of kindness to family, friends, neighbors and strangers made the world seem a little kinder for those in need.
       Yes, Dad, your life mattered. It mattered a lot. Now sit back, enjoy your Chardonnay and give Mom a hug for us.