Di Leo chronicles challenging life in Sister
by Greg Langley

Published June 9, 2002 in The Advocate of Baton, LA

Sal Di Leo has had quite a life in his 48 years. When he was a small boy in Illinois, his father abandoned the family. There were 12 children. Di Leo's mother was unable to care for them all, and the younger ones, Sal included, were sent to an orphanage in 1963 when he was just 9 years old. He stayed in the orphanage until he was ready for high school, then he went to Boys Town in Nebraska.

At first his mother came to visit Sal and his brothers and sisters at the orphanage, but her visits ended entirely after a few months. It was hard for a scared little boy to adjust to life in an orphanage, but Sal had the support of his siblings and the kind and affectionate nuns who ran the place. He missed them when he went to Boys Town where he faced harsher challenges. He eventually got out of Boys Town and went to the University of Nebraska where he received a college degree in education. But it was a rough ride all along the way.

Sal Di Leo tells the story of his life, the challenges he faced and overcame and the lessons he learned in Did I Ever Thank You, Sister? ($25 in manuscript form). Di Leo's autobiography was edited by his daughter, Jane, now a journalism student. Di Leo's work is short and frank. He doesn't mince words about what he has done and endured. What makes his book interesting to local readers is that Di Leo moved to Baton Rouge shortly after he married his wife Beth in the early 1980s.

"It was my dream for a long time to own my own company. I felt the American Dream was built on ownership and I would never achieve any wealth unless I worked for myself. So, my newly found partners and I opened Gallery Rentals in the spring of 1982 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was incredibly exciting for me. I knew I could not fail and I definitely was on my way."

But he did fail. His business wound up in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, and Di Leo left Baton Rouge in 1986 and moved to Minnesota with his wife and two young children. He rebuilt his life there, but he was still carrying around unresolved anger about his life, especially toward his parents. When he contacted the aged nun who had run the orphanage where he stayed as a little boy, she told Di Leo he had to forgive his parents. This book is the culmination of Di Leo's efforts to understand his own life and what motivated the people in it. It's the story of his quest for peace.

Di Leo writes in unembellished prose, simple first- erson narrative form that reflects his own personality. He has decided to market the book in manuscript form for $25 a copy (plus $7 shipping). Anyone who remembers Di Leo from his Baton Rouge years and wants to catch up on his life -- or simply is interested in an inspirational story -- can get a copy by going to the Web site, www.salsbook.com where an order form is available or by calling 612-789-2795.

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