Carmine Aloisio

Mr Carmine Aloisio passed away on Sunday, May 22, 2022.  The family will receive friends and relative at Ralph Giordano Funeral Home on Thursday, May 26, 2022 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Theresa Church on Friday, May 27, 2022 at 9:45 am.  Private Service to follow.

His care and arrangements have been entrusted to Ralph Giordano Funeral Home.

To share a memory, or leave an online condolence, please visit, www.giordanofuneralhome.com

Due to public health concerns, masks are recommended to be worn, at all times, in the funeral home to protect family, staff and the community.

CARMINE  ALOISIO...  4/26/51 - 5/22/22

When you go to a funeral service - you might hear the priest, the family or friends of the deceased, present eulogies...

Such beautiful words.  Well written.  Nice. Just who the hell are they talking about?  Is this person being inducted into Sainthood?

Generic fluff & sugar coated words, will not stand here. Cause -  I know, that wouldn't cut the mustard with Carmine.

To try & sum up a human life, condensed into a few nice words,  edited down to fit on a few sheets of paper is really impossible.

I can only skim the surface. It doesn't matter what I say, cause - if you knew Carmine - that was enough.

Picture it ... 

Italy, 71 years ago, April 26,1951 - the day he was born. Taurus the bull.  And - he was! He arrived here from Italy, in 1958, on a boat from Muro Lucano, the province of Potenza - 

His dad, Vito, mom Maria, his sister Mary, and his 2 brothers Ando, Reggie & their grandma -  all settled into the Bronx's little Italy, near Arthur Avenue & 187th street. 

His father worked as a carpenter and his mother was a homemaker & great cook who also worked in a factory.  They were a very hard working family which was instilled in Carmine from the start.

He went to Mt. Carmel catholic school in the Bronx  - near Arthur Avenue. One of his first memorable experiences at that school was : A teacher had him stand in front of the classroom. She repeatedly asked Carmine: "What is your name?" "What is your name?" Because he didn't understand English - he just stood there and didn't answer. All of a sudden - he saw a kid in the back of the classroom holding up 10 fingers.  (like this) So, Carmine answered the teacher's question by saying: "10". All his classmates laughed at him and he was determined that day - to learn English as fast as he could & he did. 

Determination - was an understatement that this guy lived by.

He came up through the ranks at NBC. Started working there in the maintenance department.  He was in his mid 20's, July 28, 1976, the day after David was born.  

At NBC he worked in many areas:  NBC Sports, The Today Show, The Letterman show, Saturday Night Live & later on finding his niche with the NBC NEWS - 4 - NY team and becoming a top cameraman / videographer learning his craft in the field taught from other veteran cameramen. 

He traveled around NYC & the world. He was a terrible driver, and he told me he used to drive the NBC news truck on sidewalks in Manhattan to avoid traffic jams just to get to a story.  

For years, he carried his heavy 40 pound camera around on his shoulder to many news events -  some good, some bad... 

In all kinds of weather, days, nights & holidays. 

His job allowed him to experience the real world, not always pretty - but he worked with the best and met many talented people along the way and made lifelong friends. NBA Playoffs,

Football, Baseball, & Olympic games. Parades: Thanksgiving day, Columbus day, New Years Eve Times Square, courtroom trials, the riots in Brooklyn, blizzards, plane crashes, undercover Mafia stories with John Miller, John Gotti's funeral in Brooklyn, even the Popes funeral in Rome. 

These are just some events he covered, to name a few.  

He was away from home a lot & overnights were very common.  Which made both of us very independent & strong.

One news story that really touched him & he spoke of often to me was of:  "Baby Hope".

On July 23, 1991, he saw the decomposed body of "Baby Hope" - a 4 year old girl who was found in a blue cooler along the West Side Highway in Manhattan.  He said:  "The body was so decomposed her face was unrecognizable".  After 22 years she was identified as: Anjelica Castillo. This is one example of things he experienced on a daily basis.

His lifelong hobby & passions - were his vast collection of antique radios that could fill a museum warehouse.  No exaggeration  - Last count was around 400 radios & thousands of radio tubes & parts - and his love of food, cooking, going to auctions & our house in Bethel NY - which was his kingdom & paradise. BUT - Aside from his repairing & bringing those old radios back to life & cooking big dinners - His most accomplished life works were his 2 sons, David & Daniel.

He was very strict -  but very generous with David & Daniel -  in spite of this, it's taught them how to be smart, stronger men, to have an impeccable work ethic, to see the real deal, & not take any bullshit. Carmines working in television as a cameraman had an influence on & always will forever be a main stay in our house. David followed in his fathers footsteps - also working as a cameraman at NY1 & CBS.  Carmine & David would cross paths in the field - working side by side at many news stories.   And, David still remains in a form of media as a media arts teacher. 

Carmines video camera background also influenced Daniel - who's acquired a very large, intensive video & dvd collection that would make any film buff or movie fan jealous. 

Carmine taught Daniel how to understand "overhead" camera shots, "tight shots" & "wide shots". While watching TV, Carmine would sometimes say: "they held that shot too long" & was always pointing out "continuity errors". From his keen eye we learned we could never enjoy a movie or TV without ripping it apart.

Our life together - was like a roller coaster - to say the least.  Good times, bad times. We really did live both ends of the spectrum. We married in our early 20's - which is way too young & unheard of by todays standards. We were together 47 years and when the chips were down we survived our life's struggles and always had each other's back & pulled through. Our life was unique.  We lived apart sometimes.  Him upstate & me in the Bronx - but - thats the way we liked it & that's what made our marriage work. Our reward was David & Daniel.

One thing for sure - living with him opened my eyes and made me a most independent, sharp & better person. 

He never went for credit cards or loans.  He always said: you should try and pay cash for everything - even a car.  Recently, he said to me: "When we sell our house in the Bronx let's get cash for it."  

Carmine was not one who spent his life throwing kisses around, hugging, holding hands or spreading kindness. He was definitely not soft spoken. He was quite a character, razor sharp & smart as a whip. He was like a volcano.   That's what made him unique. That, was his nature. He wasn't afraid of repercussions. He told you "like it is" and spared the niceities. Yet - He would give you the shirt off his back. And was the most generous person I'll ever know.

Seeing this mountain of a man -  going in and out of hospitals, for the past 2 years was unimaginable. Lingering and suffering was crushing & undignified. I pray he's at peace now, in heaven, with his mom Maria, his dad Vito & his 2 brothers Ando & Reggie.  & His good pal Gonzo. & his favorite dog - ELMO. And, I'd like to think that Reggie met him at the pearly gates by saying: "WOW Carmine! - What the hell took you so long?"

The Sioux Indians have a saying: 

"There is no death - Only a change of worlds." 

While working at press conferences, as a cameraman, Carmine used to try & cut short Mayor Bloomberg's long, drawn out, boring speeches by yelling out from behind his camera, from the back of the room...In his loudest Carmine voice he'd yell: "THANK YOU"& Bloomberg would instantly end the press conference...This became a well known catch phrase at media events across the tri-state area but no one could utter the words "THANK YOU" quite like Carmine. 

But he probably will be best remembered for another catch phrase, one that he said very often to coworkers, friends, family members or even to strangers in a supermarket. And this phrase is one that he's probably looking down from heaven and yelling out loud - at me - right now...

"STOP THE BOO-SHEE" !!

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