"Calabrian Courage, American Spirit," highlights the life of Gabriel Cordi, an Italian immigrant who left the southern Calabrian coast of Italy in 1957 for the promise of a better life in America. Born a few short years before World War II, he faced the challenges of life during a war that strained his family's already meager resources. Encouraged by his parents, he journeyed to the United States to seek a better life and landed in New York City with one dime in his pocket. Meeting each new challenge with an unshakable courage, he never stopped believing in the "American Dream," working tirelessly with a fierce determination to succeed. In his lifetime, he has twice been declared dead and brought back to life, built a multi-million-dollar construction business, and was declared one of the "Top Ten Italian Americans," by the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America at their 100-year gala. His boundless courage and industrious spirit serve as an example to anyone with a dream and a hope for a better life. With hard work and determination anything is possible.
