In 2006 the men’s soccer team from Italy won the World Cup for the fourth time, and since then I have been a big fan.  When my brother, Hunter, went to "roam" around Rome with his peers in 2012, he returned with multiple soccer jerseys, and one happened to be a soccer jersey from the Italian team. Once I saw it I fell in love with the team. This is important to me because it was one of the last things I received before Superstorm Sandy hit and destroyed my basement. Many of the things I cherished were lost and never recovered, but my jersey remained safe in Hunter’s closet. This item has more value to me because it is a sign that all was not lost in the hurricane. As more time passed, I started to wear it more often and I would think about Italy, the place where the Marcianos, my family, came from. Bringing home soccer jersey was one of the best things Hunter could have done. He reminded me of my roots in Italy and the courage that my family showed when they came to the United States. They came by boat through Ellis Island before they settled in New York City. Their journey to America is one of the reasons why I can proudly wear my soccer jersey. 

 

– Cole Marciano

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant