Happy birthday Grandma!

March 23, 2020 was my Grandma’s 94th birthday. This is a picture of her on her fifth birthday from my Aunt Carol. This is my Mom’s Mom, Carol DePello.

I thought about my Grandma and all the women in my life as I was deciding to run for assembly, as I was campaigning for Elizabeth Warren, and during this pandemic.

My Grandma has had quite a life — raised five kids mostly on her own with love but without much money or support in a rural community in western Pennsylvania; found happiness and love and built a life for herself with the man I knew as my Grandpa, Harry DePello; remained strong and tough after his passing; and in her 94 years has experienced so much important, transformative, and sad history and change.

Her 94 years of struggle and love…of persistance makes me feel hopeful today.

Today she celebrates while physically distancing in Dubois, Pennsylvania. Happy birthday Grandma!