A dad broke down in tears at becoming a U.S. citizen 111 years after his great-grandpa arrived on Ellis Island before returning to Europe to collect his family and being drafted into WWI, never to return.
Alexander Ricciardi, 52, who lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, moved to the U.S. from Switzerland and had Italian citizenship as he spent most of his childhood moving around Europe.
Growing up, he heard stories of how, in 1913, his great-grandfather came to the U.S. with the goal of getting established and later immigrating with his wife to chase the American dream.
Incredibly, the family even has a photo of his signature in the record books on Ellis Island – but his great-grandpa’s dreams were quickly dashed.
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Upon his return to Sicily in 1914 to retrieve his wife and the last of their belongings, he was drafted into the military to fight in WWI.
After surviving the war and returning home, they were no longer able to move to the U.S. due to eugenics and immigration laws barring Italians from immigrating.
Decades later, great-grandson Alexander met his now-wife in Geneva, Switzerland, a year after she moved from the U.S. to be a nanny and sign ASL for a girl with disabilities.
Alexander’s daughter, Michaela, 22, revealed the story of constant nagging from a housekeeper who persuaded her mom to finally feel confident enough in her French to meet the housekeeper’s son – Alexander.
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After the pair immediately fell in love, they later agreed they wanted to settle down back in the U.S., and so in 1997, Alexander left everything behind to move and take on new opportunities.
Fast forward to the current day, and with Michaela living away from her family in Tacoma, Washington, when her mom gave her the news Alexander’s citizenship ceremony date had arrived, she was determined to fly home to witness her dad obtain what he worked so hard for.
Without him knowing, she arrived at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne on July 10, and as she made her way toward him, he immediately broke down in tears.
Michaela said: “My dad moved to the U.S. in 1997 with the desire to marry the love of his life, my mother.
“Although he is the first of his family to fully reside in the U.S., back in 1913, my dad’s great-grandfather came to the U.S. with the goal of getting established to later immigrate with his wife.
“This did not go as planned, as upon returning to Sicily in 1914 to retrieve his wife and the last of their things, he was drafted into the military to fight in WWI.
“After surviving the war and returning home, they were no longer able to move to the U.S. due to new eugenics laws that barred Italians from immigrating.
“We were actually able to find what we believe to be his signature in the books on Ellis Island.
“My dad loves this story because he feels as though he was finally able to bring his family full circle and move to the U.S. when the time was right, finally fulfilling his great-grandfather’s wish for American citizenship.
“Here in the States, he has been able to pursue and obtain various types of education in the computer sciences as well as build a big, beautiful, diverse family with my mother of seven kids – two of which are biological – my older brother and I – and five adopted.
“As soon as my mom texted me announcing he had been granted citizenship and the date of the ceremony, the next app I opened was my airline app to purchase a ticket home.
“Even if it was just for the day, nothing was going to keep me from seeing my dad obtain what he worked so hard for.
“Seeing my dad’s reaction has to be one of the most heart-warming experiences of my life.
“There are very few times in a daughter’s life where she’ll get the chance to see her father cry tears of joy, I will forever cherish this rare opportunity I got to show my dad a fraction of the love and joy he has given us.
“The response has been wonderful, in a society that turns up the tragedy, it has been so enriching to share such a joyous heartwarming moment with the world.
“The biggest lesson I have taken, and I hope others can take from my dad and this story is that it is never too late, nothing will ever be too far gone, and every risk is worth taking.”