Chicago's Italian American community mourns the loss of a legend Sunday following the passing of Dominic DiFrisco—a longtime head of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.
DiFrisco was known as the voice of the Chicago area Italian American community, but his influence extended well beyond that tight-knit group.
The man affectionately known as ‘Dom’ by his friends and family died at 85 years old with his family by his side.
DiFrisco began his career in the world of public relations and quickly made a name for himself helping to build bridges between the public and private sectors--many of his clients included the State of Illinois, the mayor’s office and Illinois-based McDonald's.
Along the way, the legend received many awards, not only the Italian American community, but from the African American and Native American communities as well.
DiFrisco had been well known as the voice of Chicago's Columbus Day Parade.
"He was a giant," said his daughter, Nina Mariano. "He left a piece of himself with all of us.”
Local
"His personality was larger than life," DiFrisco's grandson Pasquale Dominic Gianni added. "It is what made him who he was.”
Back in 2012, Dominic DiFrisco had a street re-named in his honor for everything he's done, especially for the city.
The grandson says he plans to carry on his grandfather's legacy.
