Give a Smile, Get a Smile: Angelo Fracassa

June’s feature is dedicated to all the fathers in our community. Normally, I wouldn’t share a personal story here, but I lost my own father this past March at the age of 92. My dad was an extraordinary father, brother, son, grandfather, coworker, and friend. Born and raised on Canfield & Mt. Elliot to Italian immigrant parents, he lived his entire life in the city. When neighbors and friends left the city for the suburbs in the 70s and 80s, my parents stayed and deepened our family’s connection to the community where we were raised in the city we love.

Angelo took the bus to work downtown every day for 60 years. So when he retired from the IRS at the tender age of 86, we threw him a very special party. The Free Press picked up the story about his retirement and they ran a piece that I have watched more times than I can count.

I thank you for indulging my story this month, and I sure hope this video brings a smile to your face the way it does to mine. Blessings to all of the fathers and father figures in our community, our city, and our world. Happy Father’s Day to all of you!

Angelo Fracassa. Image courtesy of Salwan Georges, Detroit Free Press