Apricots & Figs: An Immigrant Father-Son Story
In 2001, Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. began to interview his father, Tony, to better understand the meaning behind his father’s words, “don’t forget where you come from.” Realizing that one day he would not have access to the last generation linking him back to the old country, Anthony began to interview his father for a deeper understanding into the stories his father told him throughout his life.
“Over the years, these stories were just that, stories, and I didn’t think much of them growing up. “Don’t forget where you come from” or “Where I come from …” was something my father said to me often,” Anthony said in a recent interview with Lianne Lareine of PV Pulse. “The problem was, I only truly knew where I came from by how my parents raised me in San Pedro, California. My only point of view was growing up in San Pedro with stories of Ischia, Italy.”
Over the decades, Anthony listened to his father’s stories about growing up on the beautiful island of Ischia off the coast of Naples. Some stories were humorous—two young boys filling their shirts with stolen apricots and figs—and others were harrowing—American planes flying over the island on bombing raids to Naples during World War II. All his father’s stories created a deep sense of longing in Anthony to know where he came from.
“I was hoping to finish Apricots & Figs with my father, but God had other plans. He passed away in the summer of 2020 just four months before I retired. I then spent the past four years finishing Apricots & Figs. My hope is that the reader can see themselves in these stories as they walk with my father and I throughout our life’s journey,” Anthony explained. “If I accomplished this then I know that I did a great job storytelling.”
Anthony Pirozzi Jr. is a retired Boeing executive and a community leader, having held positions as a Port of Los Angeles harbor commissioner, chairman of the board of directors for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, and president of Eastview Little League. He cofounded Scalawag Productions, a local youth theater company, and is a columnist for San Pedro Today magazine.
Anthony and his wife Carolyn have raised three sons together, Antonio, Vincent and Luca in San Pedro, the town they were both born and raised and continue to reside in today. His passion is to inspire and motivate all ages by sharing his life experiences that demonstrate through hard work, commitment, and a strong faith in God that anything is possible.
Apricots & Figs is a family journey of love, passion, and discovery; it celebrates an unbreakable relationship between an immigrant father and his American-born son. This epic story is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Anthony Pirozzi Jr. is a retired Boeing executive and a proven community leader, having held positions as a Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, and President of Eastview Little League. He cofounded Scalawag Productions, a local youth theatre company, and is a columnist for San Pedro Today magazine.
Anthony's passion is to inspire and motivate all ages by sharing his life’s experiences that demonstrate through hard work, commitment, and a strong faith in God that anything is possible!