Dear Heather,
In reading your interesting interview of Mr. Sal Patitucci, I made this pleasant discovery: through Radio Italia, Mr Patitucci has long been a familiar voice and cheerful influence in my family. For decades in my parents’ home, I recall how my non-Italian father had so often tuned in to this show, not just for my Italian mother’s benefit but also for his own real pleasure. In fact, he would usually sing at the top of his voice, articulating the Italian lyrics with perfection and tapping his hands and feet in time with the music. The program made him feel alive and happy and served as his personal communication tool to connect with my mother’s Italian heritage. She always marveled and laughed hard at his acculturated Italian behavior during this sing-along, thanks to the opportunities Mr. Patitucci’s program provided. I sincerely believe these experiences drew them closer together and erased the differences in their cultural backgrounds
Both my parents became very ill and have lived in my home for the past six years. My father died a year ago; however, up to the end, he never stopped tuning in to the joyful spirit of Sal Patitucci’s radio program and cheering up my mother through his loud and precise Italian phrasing with the music.
It has been said, “To do good in this world, you must first know who you are and what gives meaning to life.” Without a doubt, Heather, your interview profiles Mr. Sal Patitucci as a gentleman with a strong sense of identity and a love for his heritage and culture. He personifies the true Italian in so many ways, exhibiting the will to succeed, determination and hard work, and a rare goodness of heart. Having provided 43 years of public service to his ethnic community, on a volunteer basis, Mr. Patitucci emerges as a unique humanitarian, a person who continues to do a lot of good, adding meaning to life through music and the rejuvenation of cultural pride and identity in thousands of Italian American households.
Sincerely,
Betty Merti
O’Hara Township
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