The Unforgettable Struggle

In 1926, Maria came to America an innocent immigrant from Palermo, Sicily. She was fifteen when she first set foot in America. When Maria met Michael, she thought her dream of marriage and a family would soon be answered. After much rejection from her father, she saw Michael on the sneak. Eventually they married. After some time, their relationship started to take a turn for the worse. Maria is beaten to a pulp many times—black eyes, bloody nose, missing teeth. He blames his drinking problems on everyone but himself. Why does she keep hiding his faults and protecting him? Michael is finally gone from her life after one night when she is alone in the house there is a banging on her door. He breaks in and they struggle. This fictional story based on facts tells of a truly amazing woman, fighting to break the cycle of violence.