I was born in Capestrano, a small village of Abruzzi in Central Italy, about two hours by motor northeast of Rome. Born a Roman Catholic, I was instructed by the local nuns, and attended their day camps and other religious programs.

In 1938, when I was eight years old, my brother and I came to live with our father in the United States. Our mother had died in Italy four years previous.

With the outbreak of the 2nd World War, my brother went into the service, and I, being much alone, read the lives of saints, listened to religious programs over the air, said Catholic prayers, and meditated. But prayers were empty, for they did not express what was on my heart, having been written by others and used only for repetition. My efforts did not seem to bring me closer to God and so I eventually resolved to drop most religious interests outside of attending church, and decided to join the world and have fun.