From the top left – Alex, Emily, Everett, Sasha, Kevin, Lorraine – Jason, Hunter, Savannah, Nonna, Nonno, Alexa
For my Granchildren
For a number of years I had thought about this project and started a number of times but always put it off ! Finally with the constant reminder of Hunter to do it I decided to give it one more try ! So here we go again and hopefully this time it will be the right time ! The time seems to be right and on this beginning of May 2025 also coinciding with the first time an American Pope is elected I am finally determined to write this my story in photos for the four of you. Savannah, Hunter, Alexa and Everett ! I hope you like it !
Love you guys, PopPop
A Brief Family History
I will go back as far as your great-great Grandparents, that is Nonno and Nonna’s parents. I attached a photo of a family tree which goes back even further than that if you are interested. Fossato Serralto, Calabria where Great Grandpa Raffaele was born. I visited there IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY !
Nonno’s father was Giovanni Colao born in Naples on 11/28/1900 and died in 11/14/1992. Be lived in Rome most of his life and was a career aviator in the Italian Air Force. From what Nonno told me he was always out fighting a war in Africa or wherever. I remember him being somewhat strict as you would expect a military person to be but in his own was loving.
Nonno’s mother was Rosalba Gerardi born in Rio de Jainero in 9/19/1900 and died in 4/17/97. She was a teenager when she came to Italy with her family where she later married and had 5 children of whom Nonno was the oldest.
Early After WWII around 1946 Nonno’s Mom and siblings left for USA. Gina one of my father’s sisters had met an American GI during the war, fell in love , got married and all the family moved to America, at that time a great opportunity !
Nonno remained here because he had just got married to Nonna. Nonno’s father also remained saying he would join them later in USA but never did.
Nonna’s mother was Giuseppina Iennaco born on XX/xx/xxxx in Castel San Giorgio, province of Salerno.
Nonna’s Father was born xxxxxxxx . I never met him because unfortunately he died before I was born. He went to East Africa – Eritrea-Somalia because between 1936 and 1941 it was a colony of Italy and he went there to work and was doing well.
Nonno and Nonna
Nonno – Emilio Colao born in Naples, Italy on August 30, 1926 and died in front of me at Castel San Giorgio on February 28, 2024. He wanted to reach 100 but died at 98. If it wasn’t for him catching Covid he might have made it.
Nonna – Teresa Cerrato born in Castel San Giorgio, Italy on April 21, 1925 and died on October 28, 2014 at Poughkeepsie NY. Some years later Nonno had her cremated and he brought her to Italy and now they are both together.
How they met is a real love story !
During the second world war Nonno and family lived in Naples, a city under constant attacks and everyone was evacuated from there. They were evacuated outside the city in the country, specifically Castel San Giorgio, and placed with a family that happened to be Nonna and her family. They fell in love and got married !
Early Years In Italy
I was born on November 17, 1951 at home at San Giovanni a Teduccio a section of Naples ! I don’t remember anything because right after birth we moved to a more residential area of Naples called Vomero, exactly via Salita Arenella 13A right next to Piazza Medaglia D’oro. Nonno being in the Air Force bought into an apartment building along with a group of officers in the military being built at the time !
During these my first ten years we spent a lot of time in Castel San Giorgio as Nonna’s mom and brother and sisters lived there and Nonno was always traveling because of his career in the Italian Air Force. I have wonderful memories and remember those times with great joy. I loved them all very much and missed them terribly when we moved to USA when I was only 10 tears old !
Coming to USA
We decided to come to the US after much pressure from my Fathers side of the family who was already there as they had come after the World War II.
Arrived at the port of New York in December of 1961 where we stayed in Jackson Heights, Queens a section of Long Island. I remember it was cold and Uncle Raymond bought us all coats as we did not come with any !
We stayed in a small apartment with my Grandmother all three brothers in one room ! I remember it was very tight quarters as there were seven of us !
My first experience was not a good one ! The first day in the apartment I went down stairs to the milk machine and on my return I must of slipped with my new shoes and hit my head and knocked myself out ! Apparently I must have knocked on the door somehow and when my mother opened it I collapsed !
I remember the first time I saw Poughkeepsie New York and it was full of snow. I had never seen so much snow in my life. We had taken my father to a Hotel because he found a job with the IBM and was staying at a Hotel there.
Eventually the summer of July 1962 we all moved there and rented a house at 118 South Road as shown in the photo. I was enrolled in a catholic elementary school Saint Mary and placed in fifth grade.
About 2 years later about 1964 we bought a house at 274 Church Street which happened to be right across the street from the school
I graduated from Elementary School in 1965 and continued to Poughkeepsie High School for the next four years.
I was with Christine from High School and married on the Year ?? We had Emily on June 16, 1974 on Fathers Day ! I had just recently graduated from The State University of New York at New Paltz.
Shortly after I started working at Master Grinding service with Ed Gunsch as I now had to provide for my family.
It wa during this time I lived briefly at West Park at Dr. Cavallaro estate as it was empty and I sort of became the caretaker. The house has now been transformed to a beautiful and super Luxury Spa “Hudson Shore Estate” (https://www.hudsonshoreestate.com/).
The move to Florida
I came down to Florida in 1982 and started working with John and the Neapolitans (Roberto Avella, Marco Punzo, Dino Celentano, Dino Avella).
Met Lorraine and got married !
Worked and became friends with Nuccio Ascione and Andrea Toniolo ! Fifteen Years of Hell !!
Gianni Landi and Prime Line Distributors !
Bought a house on 4417 Monroe Street SEE THE LISTING
Was here where I was when the Trade Center disaster happened on Sept 11, 2001. I was next to Caffe Bellavista Eventually moved to Sheridan Street on 2451 N 59th Terrace.
473 Golden Isle Dr. Hallandale , Florida was were we lived for a good many years while working for the various Companies I can remember which were numerous ! Creighton Investments, Sackville Corp., Fyzabad,
2300 Diana Dr. Hallandale Florida by coincidence one of the buildings I managed I bought when I no longe
With the sale of this condo we bought the farm in Loxahatchee. SEE THE LISTING
The Shade Experts
My Prison Experience
All my life I never was in any trouble and at my older age I had an encounter with the Law ! Driving under the influence ! WOW what an experience ! Changed my life completely !
The Guatemala Missions
The back and forth years to Italy
I started to go back and forth because my idea was to set up an office in Italy and having the possibility later on in life to be able to live in both places with Lorraine.
Pane di San Antonio and Cammino di S. Francesco
On the anniversary of the first year death of my dear and favorite aunt Carmela (Zia Mela) I decided to fly to Italy and participate in the mass of Sant’Antonio and the giving out of the bread of Sant’Antonio which my grandmother Giuseppina started and Zia Mela took over on her death. Now that she also passed away Zia Rosaria and Marilina took over and I decided to participate so I took a flight to Italy.
It was on the plane on the flight over that I had a small book on Saint Anthony (don’t know where it came from) and I started reading it and came across another famous Saint and Patron of Italy San Francesco. For some reason I became very interested and it seemed everything was pointing me to get into It further ! Researching the internet I saw “Il cammino di san Francesco” and I decided I had to do this walk of St. Francis so I signed up ! It became one of the greatest experiences of my life !
September 29,2010 Cammino 1 From Assisi to Poggio Bustone – Cammino 2 From La Verna to Assisi May12, 2011
The move to Italy
I decided to stay in Italy at Capaccio Paese and then eventually at Castel san Giorgio
Alessandro Colao 