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“It’s a Beautiful Day: The Lifetime Journey of Anthony Tozzi,” by Irene Mahoney, also of Hastings, tells the war-time tales of Pvt. Tony Tozzi. Tozzi grew up in the Bronx before moving to Yonkers in 1964 with his wife, Margaret LaRocca. He moved to the Andrus on Hudson nursing home in 2009 after his wife died.
Tozzi was 26 when he joined the Army in the summer of 1942. His life of service began in Norwalk, Va, where he completed training. He then followed the Third Infantry Division to Africa and on to Italy.
In 1944 in Naples, near the birthplace of his father, Tozzi was wounded by shrapnel and sent home. After retiring, Tozzi joined Disabled American Veterans, an organization working to bring consolation to patients at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Montrose, N.Y
Mahoney decided to write a book about Tozzi’s adventures after hearing several of his stories at the dinning room table at Andrus on Hudson, where she also is aresident.
At the age of 93, she is almost completely blind due to macular degeneration. However, her fingers can easily find the computer keys allowing her to write Tozzi’s story with some research and editing help from Andrea Scala, an Andrus on Hudson intern.
To fill in some gaps and provide more information, Mahoney interviewed Tozzi’s son, Eugene Tozzi and his daughter-in-law, Sue Tozzi.
The book was designed and self published by graphics artist Theresa Eppridge.
Mahoney has published 18 books including “Madame Catherine” and “China Dreams.” She also taught English, writing and French literature at the College of New Rochelle for three decades, and taught English in Taiwan.
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