Carlo Brunello

My name is Carlo Brunello. I was born in Bessica ( Loria) in the province of Treviso in the region of Veneto, Italy in 1930. In June of the year 1954, I left the port of Genoa on the ship Homeland to seek my fortune in Canada. After a long and stormy voyage of thirteen days, we docked at Pier 21 in Halifax. On our arrival, we immediately had to board a train. It was to bring me to Hamilton, where a government job awaited me. However, as fate would have it, I got off the train in Montreal and have lived there ever since. In 1958, I married Helga Detje, who had emigrated with her mother, Gertrud Detje, from Hamburg, Germany in 1953. Together we had six children - Maria, Lorenzo, Adriano, Cristina, Nicola, and Stefano.

For nearly 40 years I owned a restaurant and convenience store and with hard work and long hours made a good living for myself and my family. Today, that family includes twelve grandchildren - Karina, Levon, Vincent, Oliver, Mateo, Amanda, Louis, Jeanne, Noa, Sofia, Esteban, and Evelina.

Now at almost eighty years of age, I look back at my life in Canada and I am grateful to this beautiful country for giving me the opportunity to live a happy and satisfying life.

I am also thankful to my children who have honoured me with a brick with my name on the Sobey Wall of Honour at Pier 21.