STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In 1970, Maria Mattarella and her husband, Francesco, moved to New York City from Sicily in pursuit of the American Dream. But they were not planning to stay forever. Their intention was always to return to Italy after a few years. That plan was derailed when their three-year old son, Salvatore, was diagnosed with liver cancer.
“The best doctors are here,” said Mattarella’s son, Vincent Mattarella. “If the family had stayed in Italy, he would not have survived; he would have passed. When Sal got sick, the doctors told my mother he would be under their care and treatment for the next 10 years. So that idea of going back to Italy was not possible.”
Mattarella stayed in New York City, eventually settling with her family in Manor Heights. She died on March 13 at the age of 82. The cause of death was aspiration pneumonia.
She was born in Mazara del Vallo on June 28, 1943 to Vincenzo and Giuseppina Papa. She was the fourth out of five sisters…