The Immigrant Story

Submitted by Evelyn C. McDonald
September 29, 2015 3:00 p.m.

Fernandina Beach is a place with a number of amazing people, many of them authors. One of these people has just completed an interesting book. Thank You for the Shoes tells the story of a fatherless boy who immigrated to America from Italy at the age of 13. The book chronicles his life here, his struggles, and his family and friends.

The author’s preface says that the story will touch anyone who has family who came to this country from overseas. I can attest to that as my parents were both immigrants although from the other side of Europe – Britain. The differences in Michele’s struggle were enormous. He did not speak any English when he arrived here and had little reading or writing skills.

He had determination and the willingness to do whatever it took to survive and prosper. His first job was at a coal mine in Pennsylvania and the only reason he wasn’t down in the mine was that federal regulations prohibited someone that young from going underground. From the coal mines, he made his way to relatives in Connecticut. There he made a home, married, and raised four girls when he lost his wife.

His experiences were all too typical for immigrants. Some people were unhelpful to the point of hostility and some tried to take advantage of him. He also found help and support in unexpected places. He did find that the streets were not paved with gold as had been said about America. Mike (as he came to be known) was always polite and friendly to others around him and was willing to take on any challenge.

The book is also interesting because it is clearly a labor of love on the part of the author, his daughter Raffaela Marie Rizzo. She manages the tough task of laying the story out but preserving the objectivity necessary to a balanced work. Though Mike faces significant challenges, this is not a depressing book. He overcomes almost everything life throws at him and retains his strength and courage.

If you are first or second generation born in this country and you want to get a feel for what your ancestors went through, I recommend this book. If you believe immigrants have it easy, you need to read it. The book will be released on October 6, 2015.

Evelyn McDonald moved to Fernandina Beach from the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. in 2006. She is a chair of Arts & Culture Nassau, a city commission charged with support of the arts in Nassau County. She serves on FSCJ’s Curriculum Committee for the Center for Lifelong Learning. She is also the chair of the Dean’s Council for the Carpenter Library at the UNF. Ms. McDonald has MS in Technology Management from the University of Maryland’s University College and a BA in Spanish from the University of Michigan.