Page 47: CHAPTER XV • MY BROTHER CHARLES
As a youngster I never really knew Charles, except from photos. I first met him and brother John when they visited Castelmezzano in 1923.
Upon my coming to America I spent a great deal of leisure time with brother Charles and his wife Annette. In fact I lived with them on Bailey Avenue in the Bronx for a time.
We worked together on the same projects and Charlie was of much help. He understood my shortcomings, especially language-wise, which brought us much closer together.
To me he represented a model of a truly devoted, loving and caring father, always very pleasant, with a quiet personality.
When Louise and I moved to our new home in New Jersey in 1938, Charles came often to visit during the week when his family was away for the summer, and helped me do painting and improvements. His conversations were always focused on the family and on how much he missed the kids.
In my opinion brother Charlie was always a devoted and affectionate father and family man, and it came as an unbelievable shock to learn through Annette that Charlie had left home, abandoning the children he so dearly loved.
Even as I write these words I cannot truly believe Charlie, in his right mind, could ever abandon his children, the youngest then being only a few months old.
The day following his disappearance, my bother John and I sadly went to the New York City morgue, and endeavored to contact some of Charlie’s personal friends, trying to locate him. Also we vainly tried to get Annette’s permission to place his name on the police missing persons list.
The clouded mystery shall always remain in my mind. I loved him and always will. May God forgive him, or the force that drove him to such a tragic decision.