Milestones, Miracles & Memories Part Two

Milestone & Miracle

Today my father turns 97. An amazing milestone, though people over 85 are the fastest growing segment of the population. According to the 2019 Profile of Older Americans (click to read) “The 85 and older population is projected to more than double from 6.5 million to 14.4 million in 2040.” My father is one of 6.5 million currently living long and, in his case, a healthy life. The miracle is that in 1924, when my father was born, there loomed a 21% chance that he would die before reaching his first birthday. His mother had already lost her first pregnancy. So scared she might lose another child, she told me that she had my father in a hospital versus at home. This may have given her a false hope as in 1920s there is a 50% increase in infant deaths from birth injuries. It’s likely many of those injuries were from unnecessary interventions by doctors.

1924 Statistics…

According to Irving Loudon in his book Death in Childbirth: An International Study of Maternal Care and Maternal Mortality 1800-1950: “During the 1920s in the United States (in addition to the child death toll by birth injuries) half of maternal deaths were caused by puerperal fever. For a disease that was ‘preventable by ordinary intelligence and careful training’ these figures were a reproach to civilized nations.” This just makes my blood boil!

In 1924:
– Total births: 2.98 million (fertility rate: 110.9 births per 1,000 women)
– Infant mortality rate: 70.8 deaths per 1,000 live births
– Average life expectancy at birth: 59.7
– Most popular baby names (in US): Boys: Robert, John, William; Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen

What About That Name?

My Dad’s name is Innocente (E-no-chent-ay) after his uncle who died in WWI. My grandmother, hoping everyone would call him “Innocent,” refused to give him a middle name. She feared it would replace his given name. According to my father he and his brother, my Uncle Vic (Italo Victor), saved their younger brothers from the misery of a poor name choice. Lucky for their brothers, John and Robert! Throughout my Dad’s life my grandmother calls him Innocent. My mother called him “E” (the Italian pronunciation for the letter “i”). Others called him “E-no.”

My Dad loves the story of his nickname. One day, joining a few other trainees for lunch at U. Cincinnati, he introduces himself as “Innocent Mattei.” One of the guys (my Dad can’t recall which one) says, “Oh no you are not, you’re Matt.” So in his public life he is “Matt.” Upon hearing that Steve and I were expecting a child in 1978 my father’s first reaction was…”if a boy, please don’t name him Innocente!” We honored his wish naming our son after Steve’s Dad and my Uncle Dominic. My brother, Joe, and his wife named their son, Matthew, in honor of my Dad’s nickname.

And Now Some Memories…

As you may well imagine, my father has a plethora of memories. Lucky to be born healthy in 1924 (during the arrival of the Asian-flu pandemic killing 70,000), he lives through the depression, WW2, economic booms and busts in his adult years and only recently survives Covid-19. This is quite amazing. Especially considering he still has his mobility, mind and “his wits about him.” A very rare trifecta at 97. One of the most insightful observation my father shares is when he first received an Amazon delivery. He smiles recollecting, “when I was little home deliveries came by horse drawn wagons, and then later by trucks.” Then laughing concludes, “I guess I have come full circle!”

Our theme for Dad’s 97 birthday party is his naval service during WW2. He rarely spoke of the experience during his life preferring to move on like most of the “greatest generation.” Thankfully my daughter, during her teaching years, involved my father in a project to record his WW2 memories. I am so grateful to have this record of his life in his own words. I have attached a copy of the interview. It is long but you may find it interesting. Of course, as his daughter and a family history buff, I find it immensely fascinating. He would never discuss the war with me, so this interview is a delight. My favorite question and his answer is as follows:

Interviewer: “When you went into the Navy were you drafted or did you sign-up?“
Matt: “No, I was drafted. I never volunteered for anything. Just remember that. ‘Never volunteer for anything. OK?’ (laughs). I found that out real quick.”

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