I was born in Manhattan and raised in Greenwich Village. At age five, I had double pneumonia and (what was later, in my adulthood, diagnosed as pericarditis). I was too ill to be put into the hospital. At that time (1952-1953) there were no pediatric wards. One day I had a near death experience. I saw the Blessed Mother (I called her the Blessed Mommy as a young child and was quite devoted to her). She warned me about my life; she told me it would be quite difficult, that my heart would be “broken”, and that God would never abandon me. The experience is impossible to relate except to say this: there was a “glow” around her that was physical; her voice was not merely a voice, it was the single most soothing sound: ocean waves, symphonies, can’t even describe it. My earthly mother saw me in this condition and shook me violently. I remember this vividly. I opened my eyes and said to her, “Leave me alone. I want to stay with the lady.” She and I discussed this many times during my adult life. That vision, NDE, or whatever it was, changed my life. I knew something cataclysmic would occur in my lifetime; I always thought it would be a worldwide event. I was wrong: it was a personal event. Without the Blessed Mother’s assurance, I would not have survived that personal event.

At age nine, my father left. When I was 10 years of age, he died mysteriously. My earth mother then passed me on to my Aunt and Grandmother who lived on Sullivan Street in Little Italy (the west part of Little Italy). Across the street was the shrine church of Saint Anthony, who has become a lifelong friend and has done many amazing things in my life. I attended the St. Anthony school and then went on to parochial high school.

I have travelled a great deal in my lifetime. In the past two years, I have been to Europe four times: Papal General Audience 9/18/2013; Paris, sacred shrines (Nevers, Lisieux, etc.), Lourdes (three times), Fatima once. Last September I spent the entire month in Italy and stayed five days and nights in Lourdes because the mother of Jesus is also my mother.

I have had visions my entire life (no, I am not mentally ill; of this I am certain). I have seen things, been given information intended only for me, and have had miraculous occurrences that are almost impossible to believe.

I lost my only child, my daughter April, on March 2, 2011. The timing involved and the date itself, as well as her age at the time (23), corresponded with the number the Blessed Mother gave me at my age five: 23. I would like to share some of these remarkable events to help strengthen the faith of anyone who is in need. I thank you for the opportunity to do so.

I have recently a published book of poetry, "The Milky Way Streets"