Andrea Doria 50th Survivor Reunion in New York Sunday July 23 2006
De Girolamo Brothers reunite for Andrea Doria Survivor Reunion
Every year on the week of July 26 the Andrea Doria survivors gather in New York to remember the ones that perished on the night of July 26 - 1956, outside Nantucket Island, as the Andrea Doria was entering the Long Island sound toward the port of New York, when it was mortally wounded buy the bow of the ice breaker Swedish ship Stockholm. Ironically today the same ship has become property of an Italian Cruise Line Company and is renames Motonave Italia, cruising the Tirrenian and Adriatic Seas in Italy. Tony De Girolamo was 18 years old at the time, his brother Nicola (Nick) was 15, Brother Mario that spend two years fighting the Vietnam war was 9 years old, and the baby of the family Biagio ( Gino) was 4. Since July 26 is also the feast of Saint Ann and the brothers lost their mother in 1987, Tony De Girolamo every year now, has a Mass Celebrated for the soul of his mother Anna De Girolamo and also for the 95 plus passengers that lost their lives on that night.
The Annual Reunions have been scheduled for many years now, the 40th reunion was celebrated at Caracalla Restaurant in Syosset New York, owned by Vincenzo de la Torre an Italian cook on the Andrea Doria at the time, that immigrated to America later. The 45th Reunion was a Gala Affair celebrated at the Merchant Marine Academy located at Kings Point New York. A web site and a newsletter was created by Anthony Grillo in New York a passenger on the Andrea Doria that was only 2 years old when he came to America, Grillo has since passed away with a brain tumor and his sister Vivian is now taking care of the very informative web site. The De Girolamo brothers are the four members left of their family of seven that left Ischia for America in 1956; since than, they lost their Sister Maria Rosaria in 1978, their mother Anna in 1987 and their father Francesco De Girolamo in 2001.
The Andrea Doria Survivors Group is getting smaller every year, since some of the survivors were already 30 and 40 years of age at the time, while the newsletter keeps them informed of who has passed on as years go by. This year 2006 it will be the 50th Anniversary of the Sea Disaster and probably a final big reunion to be held at the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy in New York. Preparations have already been made and the De Girolamo four brothers ones again will be there with their presence . Anyone wishing to attend the all day event can log in for reservations at: adrr@nyc.rr.com by May 26 The all day event begins at 9:00 AM with a Film of the collision, Lunch from noon to 1:30 PM , tour of the Merchant Marine Academy from 1:30 to 3:30 PM , evening Gala cocktails, dinner / dance starts at 6:00 PM
The complete Web Site can be found at: www.andreadoria.org . clicking To Andrea Doria Tragedy and Rescue at Sea, Please go to Table of contents, SCROLL DOWN to RECOLLECTION , and read a 19 pages De Girolamo Recollection , an unpublished Story written by Tony De Girolamo entitled. From a Night to Remember to the American Dream.
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