My Life

by Gregorio, Joe

• ISBN13: 9781462037933
• ISBN10: 1462037933
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-05-15
• Publisher: Author Solutions

Summary

Joe Gregorio was born in 1929, on the cusp of the Great Depression. His father abandoned their small family before Joe was born, and his mother passed away due to tuberculosis not long after his birth. Gregorio and his brother then became charges of the State of New York and spent their childhood and adolescence in a series of foster homes, which brought Gregorio life-changing experiences, to say the least. In his autobiography, My Life, Joe Gregorio presents his times of overwhelming difficulty as well as his victories, his darkest despair as well as the guiding lights who led him into a plentiful life. Gregorio's path took him from orphanages to service in the Korean War-resulting in severe panic attacks. After his time in the military, he continued to lead a life that valued hard work as well as deep connections to family and friends. Tortuous as it seemed at times, his path was aided by a number of people who shared with him mutual appreciation, love, and spirit. Our present days of strained economic times bear great similarity to the early 1930s, and Gregorio's story of hope and faith can, in turn, be a guiding light for all of us as we move into the future.

Excerpts

This is the story of an orphaned child being raised through the depression era of 1929 and beyond. Two months before my birth on January 18th of 1929 my father left my mother and essentially abandoned his family. Actually I never had the opportunity to meet my father. My mother Frances Corso Gregorio became infected with the disease tuberculosis and succumbed from it's results in 1935 at the young age of 27. Outside of the shell of tribulation and despair in my very young life there were beacons of light and direction. My brother and I became wards of the State of New York thus the Dept, of Child Welfare. We were placed in a foster home and later in a Catholic institution at St. Josephs' Home in Peekskill N.Y. We were there for three years and nine months. From there for me at least there were several more foster home experiences. You will meet the beacons of light and direction I referred to as you read on through the pages of my true life story. Years later in the early days of my manhood I had the distinct honor to serve my country in a combat roll as a member of the United States Marine Corp during the Korean conflict. My hope is that you will glean from my story some anecdotal reference that may apply to your experience now or in the future. Joe Gregorio 9/5/2010