His Legacy

A Family

Maria, his wife. Danny, Anthony, and Laura, his children—all of whom would become honor students, carrying forward his reverence for education.

A Brother Who Lived

David, who received Bert's kidney and survived. The operation at Massachusetts General Hospital was successful. Bert's gift gave David decades more of life.

A Youngest Brother Who Loves Jazz

Nélio, who received albums from America and never stopped listening. He went on to earn his PhD in Sociology and was appointed Commissioner of Human Services and Social Security of the nine islands of the Azores—a cabinet-level position. The jazz that Bert sent across the ocean still plays in Terceira.

A Son Who Plays Guitar

Danny, who learned "Samba Pa Ti" while his father was alive but was too afraid to play it for him.

He plays it now. Twenty years late, but with all his love.

A Question

Danny sometimes wonders: Do I like this music because I chose it, or because he did?

The answer might be: Does it matter?

The things we inherit from our parents become our own. The music Bert loved now lives in his son's fingers, on his son's Stratocaster, in his son's ears. That's not imitation. That's legacy.

An Example

Harvard to UMass Boston. Janitor to Director. Fourth-grade education limit to MBA.

His aunt sold her land so he could learn. He never stopped proving that she was right to do it.

A Posthumous Honor

In 2004, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded Bert the Eugene H. Rooney, Jr. Public Service Award — recognizing individuals who excelled in the development of human resources. He was one of three recipients that year, across the entire state. The award was given posthumously.

The family at the State House, November 2004