🕵️♀️ Family secrets, lost stories, and hidden truths… Cindy Hollenbeck uncovers the reality behind her Italian American family’s journey. 🇮🇹✨ From Ellis Island myths to newspaper records that tell the truth, she shares how secrets of affairs, lost children, and broken marriages were buried, not out of malice, but out…
Imagine the pride of a mother seeing her son win the Nobel Prize. Louis shared how, at that moment, his mom felt 20 years younger—rushing up and down the block telling everyone, “Did you hear about my son?” Even more special, she was healthy enough to join him in Stockholm,…
In this heartfelt episode of Italian American Stories, Stephanie welcomes Cindy Hollenbeck, a Navy veteran, writer, and proud Italian American who takes us on a deeply personal journey through her family’s past. From uncovering long-hidden truths in old newspapers and genealogical records to growing up in her father’s leather shop…
A chilling gesture, a sinister code… In 1911, Angelina was accused of murder after witnesses claimed she bit her own little finger—a signal in Italian culture meaning “I will kill you.” Was it a threat to silence Dorinda? Or just a haunting misinterpretation? Either way, this dark detail adds an…
Coming Soon! 🔎 Episode 72: Interview with Cindy Hollenbeck 🎙️ Available October 16, 2025 In this episode, Cindy Hollenbeck shares her fascinating journey of uncovering family mysteries—digging through records, chasing name changes, and piecing together the truth behind her Italian American roots. 🇮🇹✨ From Ellis Island myths to surprising discoveries,…
In 1910, Denver’s Italian community gathered for the annual Feast of St. Rocco. But while the celebration carried on, one woman was missing… Maria was last seen just days before the feast — and she never arrived. 🕯️ Dive into this mystery from Denver’s Little Italy and the stories history…
Known in Denver’s Little Italy as The Queen of Little Italy, Angelina Garramone’s legend is as eerie as it is unforgettable. One shop owner described her chillingly: “She gathers people around her, they find out too much. Then poof, we see them no more, and next we hear of their…
“When we heal, we heal generations.” In this powerful conversation from Italian American Stories Podcast, artist and healer Danielle Fusco shares how ancestral memory connects us all through time — past, present, and future. From candles representing our ancestors to the idea that our healing becomes theirs, this episode reminds…
Her mugshot told a story no newspaper ever did. 🕵🏻♀️ At just 36, Angelina’s prisoner card listed every detail — from her jet-black hair to the three mysterious marks below her breast. But it’s her smile in that photo that stops you in your tracks… confident, haunting, and unforgettable. 🎙️…
Lucia isn’t just a character—she’s a force of energy that lit up the screen and had audiences roaring with laughter every time she appeared. Director Michelle Danner even dedicated the film to her mother, Laura Donna, whose spirit and legacy shine through the story. ❤️ A reminder that our loved…
Angelina Garramone’s story is as dramatic as it is mysterious. Accused of trying to seduce Joseph—and even of plotting to chloroform him—Angelina’s life was filled with scandal, rumors, and whispers that shook Denver’s Little Italy. Was she truly guilty of these shocking accusations, or simply a victim of gossip and…
Meet Nina Vital Italiano, a fearless Italian American woman who made history on the racetrack in early 1900s Los Angeles. Born in Little Italy, Nina defied expectations by joining an all-women’s racing group called The Speeders. She built a bold persona—claiming noble Italian roots and racing lessons in Genoa—to draw…
Italian American Heritage Month – Days 1–10 Recap! From trailblazing athletes and immigrant families to community leaders and powerful stories of resilience, the first 10 days of our series have celebrated the everyday lives and lasting legacies of Italian Americans across the U.S. Each story is a reminder of the…
In the dramatic conclusion of our four-part series, we follow the twists and turns of Angelina Garramone’s murder trial in early 20th-century Denver. From shocking testimony about cruelty in Concetta Forgione’s past, to accusations of witchcraft, forged checks, and family betrayals, this final chapter brings the story of Maria LaGuardia’s…
Episode 69: Angelina Garramone – Part 3 The story of La Diavola Rossa takes a darker turn in Part 3 of our Angelina series. After years of scams, trials, and whispers of violence, Angelina becomes entangled in the disappearance and murder of Maria LaGuardia—a 65-year-old woman from Denver’s Little Italy…
In this second installment of Angelina Garramone’s story, we unravel the darker side of a woman whose schemes went far beyond fraud and forgery. When two Italian women, Dorinda Cellante and Maria LaGuardia, disappeared from Denver’s Italian colony in 1910, suspicion began to swirl around Angelina. This episode dives deep…
In this special re-release, we return to the story that first sparked the creation of the Italian American Stories Podcast, the scandalous and fascinating life of Angelina Garramone. Born in Potenza, Basilicata, Angelina arrived in Denver’s Little Italy as a young girl and grew into one of the most talked…
🎙️ Christina and the Whitefish with Author & Filmmaker Stephen Vittoria In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker and author Stephen Vittoria to explore his powerful new novel, Christina and the Whitefish. Set in 1994 Asbury Park, the story follows Christina, a young Gulf War veteran, and the Whitefish,…
🔥🐒 Six Burning Monkeys?! 🐒🔥 This bizarre headline from 1902 opens a surprising window into Italian immigrant life at the turn of the century. From New York’s crowded streets to small towns in Tennessee and even out west in California, stories like these show us just how unusual—and fascinating—our ancestors’…
In this episode of Italian American Stories Podcast, Stephanie and Sandy step up to the plate with the trailblazing story of Lucille Colacito, a Colorado-born Italian American who made history in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II. From her childhood in Denver’s Little Italy to her…
