Wrestling with the Devil

Plucked from his beloved Italian country-side, severed from his family, and placed on an ocean liner in the bay of Naples, Antonio Russo, just ten years old, embarks on the journey of his life.

As he steps foot onto New York soil with not a word of English, his pockets stuffed with salami and provolone cheese and wearing a pair of shoes for the occasion, Antonio recalls the promise from his mother that in America he would find family members to take care of him and the trees blossoming with gold.

This young Italian boy finds himself hit hard with a large dose of reality, obstacles at every turn. These obstacles would become the demons with which Antonio finds himself doing constant battle, but as fate would have it, he one day comes to realize that he is good at something. He finds by chance that he has a natural instinct and ability in the sport of wrestling.

As his story unfolds, it would be the sport of wrestling that ignites a passion and guides him to the realization of his true potential, giving meaning to the struggle he and his family would endure in their journey from Southern Italy to the United States to create a better way of life.

FROM THE AUTHOR: The Russo children and grandchildren have long been listening to me tell stories of my childhood in Italy, my journey to the United States, and my experiences in the sport of wrestling. Even though I always changed the main character's name, I always fell into the trap of ending the story with, "You want to see the scar?" It never took any of them very long to figure out it was me. Wrestling with the Devil has been born as a result of these stories in hopes of inspiring others by sharing the struggles I endured and would eventually overcome. I have spent the last few years digging deeper and recounting my experiences in detail in the form of interviews conducted by my daughter. Many of the stories, which on the surface may have appeared funny and light-hearted as presented to my family, actually cut deeply, and over the years I have battled the demons as they have reared their ugly heads, one by one. We all have demons to battle throughout the journey of our lives and it is my hope that by sharing my conflicts as well as my triumphs, it will make a difference for anyone who has ever had doubts or has ever thought about giving up.