Raffaella DeSimone was born in Italy in 1943, in the midst of the Second World War.  As her parents were farmers, and there was no work, the family relocated to France, and then to Canada.  The family arrived in Halifax, at Pier 21, and they began to adapt to their new country, reaching out to family that had arrived earlier.  Raffaella’s memories of her early days were mostly positive ones, as she and her family were welcomed into and prepared to make their mark in Canada’s postwar history.

Raffaella was interviewed by her grandson, Crestwood student Michael DiBattista, in December 2015.