Alpha to Omega: My Parents' Story

By Ted Eleftherakis

At a very young age I’ve listened to my parents tell me stories of hardships and courage during the holocaust of Asia-Minor (Turkey), World War Two, and as emigrants in America.
Listening to testimonials, taking notes and looking at our old historical photographs I knew this story had to be told.

Certain people can relate to this story but most cannot it brings a strong message that all things are possible good and bad.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669853206

Book preview

cover.jpg

Alpha To Omega

My Parents’ Story

Ted Eleftherakis

Copyright © 2022 by Ted Eleftherakis.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 12/05/2022

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

553589

Acknowledgments

The people Listed below helped me with this book through facts, testimonials, writing, and editing.

Georgia Ann Eleftherakis

Catherine Kambourouglou

Catherine Dollas

Valerie Secker

Thank You

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to two caring and compassionate people

Catina Constatine

Malamo Carageorge

For helping my mother and sister in there time of need

May there memory be eternal.

And to my sister for taking care of mom and dad all those years. Thank You……. I love you

Contents

Chapter 1    The Revolution

Chapter 2    Chios and World War 2

Chapter 3    Coming to America

Chapter 4    Addison Street

Chapter 5    Glencoe Road

Chapter 6    Brookthorpe Circle

In honor of my parents.

Thank you so much for your strength and courage

and for teaching me patience and hard work.

Chapter 1

The Revolution

Soon after John Michalas married Catina Mandrohalos in Chios, Greece, in 1914, there was fear in the air. The fear was of an Ottoman uprising against the Christian and Greek community in Asia-Minor. John and Catina, both twenty-seven-year-olds, decided to leave Chios in 1916 with their four-month-old son, Pantelis, and traveled to a more prosperous land called America.

On April 7, 1916, the ship Vasilefs Constatinos set sail from Piraeus, Greece. It docked on Ellis Island in New York sixteen days later. John, Catina, and Pantelis were aboard. There was a fourth person with them named Pariskavi, who was to marry Catina’s brother, Stephano. The family traveled through New York and New Jersey to reach the home of Stephano, who worked as a miner. His address was 139 Columbia Avenue in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. The town was noted for the world’s largest steel mill and named after one of its directors, J. J. Vandergrift. It was also one of the top industrial towns on the East Coast.

John was a tailor by trade, but industrial work was easier to find. He landed a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad laying rails. Soon after, Catina had their first