Help Us Celebrate the Life of Joseph "Andre"

Giuseppe “Joseph, Joe, Joey G, Andre” Guarascio was born in Calabria, Italy on April 18th, 1948. Born to Carmine “Frank” Guarascio and Josephina “Josie” Bastone. He did not have an easy upbringing. Italy at the time was an economically and socially challenged country.

Many people around the world chose this time to immigrate to the United States and the Guarascio family was among this number. Having already left for America, Joe’s father sent for his wife and six children in Italy to join him in America. This was when the first great phase of his life.

Joe was the constant fighter and survivor. He had been battling challenges all of his life. As a young immigrant boy in America, he faced the wrath of prejudice that affected his sensitive persona deeply. This would lend itself to the liberal and open hearted nature he would display throughout his adult life. He knew he had to master English, a language he knew next to nothing of. In time he would master english and would shed any hint of a foreign accent. English became his primary language. 

It was during these formative years that the injuries done to his soul by the vicious nature of bigotry and ignorance that Joe would develop the deep emotional wounds that haunted him for decades. It would cause him to face arguably his greatest challenge, addiction. The emotional scars, insecurities, the self hatred he developed as a young man, lead to decades of substance use that should have killed him and would have killed a lesser man. 

He was not ashamed of his story. He was accepting of it and eager to use himself as an example of the power of forgiveness, compassion, hard work and perseverance. 

One day, many years after he had achieved a solid sobriety with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, Joe was commissioned by the hairdressing guild called Intercoiffure and asked to conduct a hair show at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for their yearly convention. He was honored to do this and dedicated himself to accomplishing this task alongside his long time best friend and business partner, Maryann. He dedicated the show to his children, Carmine and Olivia who motivated him to find sobriety and which ultimately saved his life. 

Joe was guilty of not having any true hobbies. His hobby was talking and connecting with people - friends, colleagues, strangers and especially his family. He lived for his family and dedicated every ounce of energy to the happiness and prosperity of his wife and children. The sacrifices, the effort, the fact that he put every ounce of energy into the act of bringing his family happiness, are epic stories and worthy of legend. 

He was an extraordinary man and ahead of his time in so many ways. He devoted himself to others and touched the lives of everyone he met. He revered his older brother, Louis, and felt a kinship with his younger brother, Bobby. He would have moved heaven and earth alike to be of service to his sisters, Nancy, Lina and Carmela. He was also dedicated to his many nieces, nephews and cousins. He treated his friends like family and strangers like friends. 

Joe passed away November 30th, 2019. Now we ask that you celebrate his life by supporting his dreams and goals. There is no doubting the fact that Alcoholics Anonymous saved his life and served as an important anchor for him for 34 years. It was his wish to one day retire and apply himself to the cause of alcohol and drug addiction. He wished to help rehabilitate people that have often been cast away by others and left with nothing. He was desperate to be of service to this cause and that is why we are donating half of the proceeds to the AA organization. 

The other half of the proceeds will be given to further cancer research to one day cure the horrible disease that robbed us of Joe. It is our deepest regret that there was no viable cure for this illness when he received his diagnosis. He hated his illness and fought it bravely every single day until he left this world. This life ruining and family destroying illness has preyed upon the lives of people around the world for far too long. We ask to support his memory and help us continue his fight against cancer. We will cherish his bright and beautiful soul always and forever <3.

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