Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino made the rounds prior to Mother’s Day, championing the uncontested World Champion of his life, his late mother, Emilia.
As Sammartino tells the story, his mother frequently took day-long journeys from the mountains, high above Pizzoferrato, Italy into town below in a search for food. Bruno, his older brother Paul and sister Mary oftentimes didn’t know if she would make the 24-hour trip back.
The small Italian town had fallen under the control of Germany and Nazi SS troops after the fall of Benito Mussolini in July, 1943.
The family—Bruno’s father Alfonso had already immigrated to Pittsburgh and all communication was cut off from Italy in the early 1940’s—survived in the harsh, and densely wooded conditions of Valla Rocca for 14 months. The rain, snow and cold made life rough for the sickly Bruno, who was only 8 years old when the family scrambled for safety. The region remained fraught as bombings and shootings were common occurrences. The family sought refuge in the desolate mountains because they believed that troops were too busy with their own battles to seek out isolated refugees hidden days from the tiny village.
For point of comparison, Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy and the Abruzzo Mountains has an elevation of just over 4,100 feet above sea level. Pennsylvania’s highest point is Mt. Davis at 3,213 feet. Pittsburgh’s highest point is 1,200 feet, with downtown being a mere 738 feet above sea level. When Emilia made the harrowing treks, she was 48 years old.
When the war ended in 1945, the family climbed down out of the mountains and returned to some sort of normalcy. Pizzoferrato is now known as a trendy ski resort hamlet with a population of about 1,100.
Sammartino is recalling the heart-wrenching personal history—and the relationship with his mother—in a documentary called “Bruno Sammartino: La Mia Mama.” The documentary aired on Mother’s Day in Pittsburgh, on KDKA TV from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. on Pittsburgh’s CW.
“The sacrifices she made were unbelievable,” said Sammartino as part of the documentary. Emilia was captured by the Nazis, but escaped. She was even shot once, says the two-time WWWF Champion.
When Bruno was 10, she was diagnosed with rheumatic fever by the Red Cross. Experts there told Emilia that her youngest son had only a day or two to live.
“I remember it as if it were yesterday,” Sammartino told KDKA TV on Friday, “My mother, with tears in her eyes, said she wasn’t going to lose another one.”
Emilia had already lost two children by this time. With the help of Sammartino’s uncle Camillo, Emilia nursed Bruno back to health with leeches. She boiled hot water and made him inhale the fumes.
“I don’t know if there’s anything to that stuff, but I lived,” he said with a chuckle.
Bruno failed health physicals, which was a contributing factor to the family in his family not relocating to Pittsburgh until 1950. And it wasn’t until then that Bruno really got to meet Alfonso “for the first time.” The elder Sammartino, a mill worker, made the move to better his family when Bruno was very young.
The family planted roots in Pittsburgh and Bruno’s historic career was just years away. Bruno said his mother was “delighted” with his success inside the squared circle and in weightlifting.
“I was given a death sentence…and I was supposed to die, and now she sees me on television,” Sammartino said,.
Sammartino made the sojourn back to Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy with KDKA TV and radio personality Larry Richert and friend Martin Lazzaro a few years ago for a documentary. Some of that footage is included in the new documentary. Sadly, Lazzaro died in 2014.
Sammartino said it was “hell” to go back to the mountains that had so many dreadful memories. The muscle man who lifted a world record bench press and then bodyslammed 640-pound Haystacks Calhoun called the trip “emotional,” “scary” and frightening; however, he’s now glad he went home.
He is also eternally appreciative and grateful to his mother.
Bruno’s sister Mary is 86 and brother Paul is 81. Alfonso Sammartino lived to one week prior to his 95th birthday and Emilia died in 1995 at 97. Bruno Sammartino turns 80 years old on October 6.
