It was February, 4th, 2007. Super Bowl Sunday. The Colts were preparing to battle it out with the Chicago Bears. Joey was playing in his Basketball game with UM Hoops. This was torture. Nick and I watched as the other teams parents went crazy, as usual. I told the league not to keep him in his normal age bracket. First game was 36 to 6. Joe had 32 points. You can take it from there. Anyway, we put up with the usual BS and actually, it was pretty funny. I got the call just before 3 pm and took it outside the Gymnasium. Lori was composed but her voice was shaking… Nonno passed away at 2:45. He had been failing quickly and Lor had driven up to the Bronx the morning before. The Peduzzi family were all there as his heart failed and his battle ended. A little more than two years since his horrible fall and brain injury, his big heart gave out and Nonno was gone. The boys would be so upset. Nonno was a big part of their life… and they…his. He loved watching them play sports. He loved to teach them how to cook. He loved to cook. From the first day I came to New York, every visit thereafter, holidays, etc. It was all about the food. “Are you hungry?” “What do you want to eat?” This was the standard greeting by Nonno when you walked in his house. It was great. An accomplished chef, butcher and recent retiree of the “Culinary Institute of America” in Hyde Park, NY. The food he prepared was always spectacular… and Italian.
After Joe’s game, I broke the news to the boys on our car ride home. They were so upset. This was the first loss they had ever experienced in their lives and a big loss it was. We went home and called mom and tried to comfort her. I knew she needed to talk to her boys. My parents came over the next morning so that I could head to NY. In a few days, they would join us for the funeral. And what a funeral it was. For two and a half days, friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, Italian Club members, etc. came to mourn and celebrate Nonno’s life. It seemed like the whole Bronx showed up! A heart-felt and appropriate farewell to such a warm, friendly, wonderful man. So many of Lori’s friends turned out too. She really needed them. I was so happy to see the love. The boys arrived on the last day and very maturely said their goodbyes. We were very proud of them. The funeral concluded with a drive- by past the Peduzzi home by the funeral procession and the internment at a beautiful cemetery in the burbs. Italo “Norman” “Nonno” Peduzzi would be greatly missed.
The boys and I would need to really pick it up for Mom. As tough as she was, this was new territory for us. Super Bowl Sunday would take on a whole new meaning going forward. Aunt Susan would take over the holiday helm in the Bronx and have to recreate Nonno’s recipes for posterity. Big shoes to fill. As for me, I had my annual bloodwork coming up in a month. Fingers crossed, let’s hope for some good news.
Next Up: Life Goes On and the Last “Team Belaggio” Event