Sal Goes Back To Joliet, Illinois For Recent Visit To His Roots!
For Immediate Release: Saturday, February 1, 2003
Contact: Elizabeth Kirby
2611 Ulysses St. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 789-2795, or sal@salsbook.com
 

Russ Slinkard, President, and Mary Jaworski, VP of the Chamber with Sal Di Leo

On a recent visit back to the roots of his childhood, Joliet, Illinois, Sal  Di Leo got a chance to visit with the Joliet Chamber Of Commerce President Russ Slinkard and Mary Jaworski and personally tell his story.

"For those of us who spent time at the Guardian Angel Home orphanage in Joliet in the 1960's, many of us would probably agree it had a tremendous impact on our lives. I think we would also agree that it was a strict place to live and the nuns expected a lot out of us in school and as people. Finally, I also think it is safe to say you would find that the orphanage made a positive difference in many of our lives," claims 49-year-old author Sal N. Di Leo now residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sal's recently self-published book, Did I Ever Thank You, Sister? found  on-line at www.salsbook.com, describing his early childhood days being raised in Joliet at the Guardian Angel Home with his three siblings, tells an emotional story about the loss of family. Sal tells how he had to deal with being abandoned by his father and the impact that had on him his whole life. He also talks about the tremendous impact the Catholic nuns had on him and his siblings and how his life has turned out well as a result of the faith and love those nuns placed in him.

"All of us at the orphanage, I am sure, wanted of course to be with family or be adopted but we were not fortunate enough to find a loving family who would take us in. However, at the orphanage we knew we were safe, things were predictable, and the nuns loved us. We had three square meals daily, clean clothes, went to class, and we also had a lot of fun. We knew we were all in the same boat and as a result we developed our own support system to hold each other up. I think that was good because the kids who tried foster homes and came back because it didn't work out for some reason were glad to be back with the rest of us.

"The nuns gave us so much of themselves. They loved us, educated us, taught us to work hard, and gave us our faith. We felt it was our home and that's why we called it the "The Home. It worked for me." Di Leo has been happily married for over 23 years and is the proud father of two successful children.

Sal is currently working on having his book made into a movie and has met with several well established Hollywood producers, one affiliated with Robert Redford. If indeed a movie is made of his incredible life story, Joliet would be a prime filming spot because of how much of his story took place there.

For more information contact Elizabeth Kirby at 612.789.2795 or sal@salsbook.com or, 2611 Ulysses St. NE, Mpls, MN 55418.