Leo P. Dragani<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is my grandfather on my mother’s side. His name is Leo Dragani, and he passed away on Sunday, April 1, 2007. I’d like you to meet him before I lay him to rest tomorrow, and forget who he was, and still is, to my family.<\/p>\n
Leo, or Papa Leo, as I called him, was born in 1929 and grew up in Port Chester, NY, from the age of about 1. He moved to “The Apartments” on Regent Street when my mom was born in 1960. He has lived there for 47 years, and so, being, 2007, he was almost 77- his birthday being in May.<\/p>\n
From the time he began playing football in high school, he has been involved in anything football since. He played semi-pro football, coached football, officiated football, wore football, and bought and read football. And yet, he did not make football his god.<\/p>\n
My grandfather was a packrat. If he got something shiny, pointy, shapely, odd, old, original, interesting, dusty, funny, or playable, he would inevitably hold onto it and you would eventually find it in a closet, on a shelf, or under a pile of cards on the desk. He would collect anything. He would build stuff out of stuff he’d collect. And yet, he did not collect anything that was too important to give away.<\/p>\n
Papa loved movies. He could remember movies that came out before there were VCRs, before cable, and before TV. If you asked him who starred in which Old West film, or WWII epic, or late night comedy, he could name him and any co-stars, predecessors, best friends, or escapades that actor had as well. Papa Leo built a wall with shelves to hold the movies and TV shows he bought and collected. Often, when I walked into his apartment, I would find him in front of the TV, watching Clint Eastwood or Alfred Hitchcock or the History Channel’s documentary on Hitler. And yet, if someone had to be called, or visited, or driven, or helped, the television was the first to be forgotten.<\/p>\n
Papa loved to talk about himself. It was what he could talk about best, because even though he knew half the town of Port Chester, and could greet anyone he met with a handshake and a nickname, most of the stories he had of others also included himself. He had been all over the world, and had driven across the country innumerable times, and so there was a lot to tell. But when he found himself taking care of my mother and my aunt and uncle, living in a three-bedroom apartment, with a small income and three tuitions to pay, he left himself under the chair and worked until they had grown up and left. Up to this very week, he still sent what money had received to his three children, friends in need, and various organizations.<\/p>\n
My grandfather gave.<\/p>\n
I attended both wakes held for him today and yesterday. Grown men, men who had officiated football with, or worked in the water company with, or befriended and cared for, came into the parlor and wept. They put their heads in their hands and wept. And then they would go to my mother and tell her that they knew Leo because he had volunteered at such-and-such a place, or had been their friend in the so-and-so club.<\/p>\n
While at his apartment, cleaning up, sorting, throwing away old bills and food and wondering what to do next, people would come to the door and leave us food. Their reason? “There’s no way to pay back what Leo did for us.”<\/p>\n
I feel like I missed it. I didn’t notice it before. And now that I look back and remember him, I can’t think of any time he ever asked for anything, wouldn’t talk to someone, or held a single grudge. In fact, he would repay anything wrong done to him with a phone call, a visit, or a gift. And what have I learned from this?<\/p>\n
None of it was from a selfish ambition. He didn’t do it for fame, or respect, or for human admiration. He gave because he knew it was right, it pleased God, and because he liked it. What more reason do you need?<\/p>\n
If I have any role model on earth to live up to, here it is. My grandfather. And though he is gone, I still have someone to look up to, someone to admire, love, and respect, and someone to whom I can think, “If I were Papa…”<\/p>\n
Give everything. Isn’t that what Jesus said? “Give up your money, give up EVERYTHING, and follow me.” He also said, “It’s easier for a camel to walk through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Well, Papa was no rich man, but he’s in heaven right now, giving his soul to God and enjoying it more than ever.<\/p>\n
In loving memory of Leo P. Dragani – 1929 – 2007<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Remember the note about giving? Well, here’s your example. Your goal. Your ambition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[910],"tags":[184,356,370,474,570,605,640,700,733],"class_list":["post-790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-essays","tag-conclusion","tag-give","tag-grandfather","tag-leo-dragani","tag-new-york","tag-papa","tag-port-chester","tag-rich-man","tag-selfless"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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