Although Veterans Day honors the living, anytime is appropriate to honor the memory of a courageous local hero, John T. Frisina, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps.  I learned of him from my Benedictine High School classmate Russ Davis, a member of the undefeated Bengal football team and “mythical” Ohio Champion of 1964.

While visiting Little Italy for Columbus Day festivities we stopped at a local pub, Borgata Bar, owned by John’s brother Tom. It’s not a place where the tables are set with white tablecloths but an authentic neighborhood gathering place for locals, those who come back to visit the neighborhood they grew up in…and visitors to one of Cleveland’s ethnic enclaves, “Little Italy.” This is where I learned about John and the Frisina family. They are all proud of their Sicilian roots, as all the Italian Americans I have ever known are.