4k for Ciro "Benjamin" Apciella

I feel that it is important no only to share my journey with you, but to explain why I'm riding.
Or, more importantly, who I am riding for.

I have decided to begin a series of in-depth posts about some of the people that have influenced my decision to ride. One of these people was an extraordinary man, a man who typifies the classic American story of immigration, hard-work, and family.

My Great-Grandfather: Ciro "Benjamin" Apicella

Vico Equense, Italy is a small bay town near Naples.

Ciro "Benjamin" Apicella, my great-grandfather whom I am named after, emigrated from Naples, Italy to Ellis Island, New York in December of 1920. His mother, Maria Apicella, brought Ciro to America at the age of 7 with his siblings and cousins. His family left their small hometown of Vico Equense for the prosperity of America. Seeking to assimilate, Ciro took the name of the judge that granted him citizenship--Benjamin.

When he was younger, Benjamin's small frame lead him to dream of being a jockey. As a man of 5'6 and 125 lbs, he became a Golden Gloves featherweight boxer. While working in a factory he met his future wife, Florence. After enlisting in the army and working as a ship sitter prior to World War II, Benjamin was honorably discharged for the birth of his daughter, Ida Marie. Together with his wife he raised his daughter in New York City.

The S.S America (1908), which Ciro and his family traveled on from Naples, Italy to Ellis Island, NY

Benjamin took pride in his family life, working hard in brokerage firms and with the US Postal Service.  He refused to drive a car (his wife once intimated that an old accident may have created his dislike of driving, though no further information is known). He would often come home to his daughter to play with a Lionel train set and allowed her to comb his hair, despite the fact that his well-kept hair rarely needed it. At special occasions, Florence insisted that he dance with his daughter to "Daddy's Little Girl," to which he always readily complied.

After the births of his grandchildren, Thomas and Donna Overton, Benjamin and his wife would spend their weekends with the family at their daughter's home. Enjoying both gardening and cooking, Benjamin frequently spent his time outside his daughter's home tending to tomato plants and rose bushes. In fact, his daughter's dog got attached to his weekly presence, usually staying close enough to Benjamin to cause him to trip.

A man of few words and slow temper, Benjamin's family would always take notice of the few moments he allowed a smile to slip through his lips, exclaiming "Oh look, Papa smiled!"

Ciro "Benjamin" Apicella in uniform

Benjamin was diagnosed with colon cancer and promptly treated at a veteran's hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He underwent radiation therapy, the only treatment available at the time. In December of 1977, Ciro "Benjamin" Apicella, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away from colon cancer. It was a bitter pill for his young grandchildren and close-knit family. Ciro's classic story of the American Dream is still told to the growing generations of this family, who know him as a strong, kind, and wise man.

I unfortunately never had the opportunity of meeting my great-grandfather firsthand, though I have come to know him through old records and family accounts. There is no better way to honor his memory than the 4k for Cancer.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this in support of the cause.

Always,

James