That would most obviously be my wife of 31 years. My partner in all things.
In the interest of conversation, though, the most influential person in my youth would have been my late stepfather, Vittorio. My mother’s second husband, who was an Italian immigrant and a born merchant.
Vito was old school; a genuine, head-down hardworking, humble and generous man, far too good for my whining shrew of a drunken mother, but he showed me firsthand the value of work ethic and self-reliance. He taught me to speak Italian.
I traveled to his home country with Vito on several occasions and grew to love Italy, the culture, and traveling in general. Still do.
Vito implored and motivated me to study hard, become somebody of worth and to live a life of real purpose. Life lessons that I have since imparted to my kids. He was entirely a self-made man who, like me, was a child of very meager upbringing. Absent his presence in my life, there is no saying what it would be like. I doubt I would enjoy the success I have.
Sadly, Vito died of a massive stroke when I was a teen. A very great loss. My mother descended into the bottle, accompanied by a parade of losers and deadbeat relatives, and I focused most of my time in school than at what became a truly miserable home-life in the years after that.
I still honor the man with reflection and a toast every Sept 3, the anniversary of his death, now 40 years ago. His photo is on my desk.
This post was edited by Don Barzini at October 26, 2019 8:47 PM MDT