Valerie Bertinelli believed she had a solid understanding of her paternal grandfather’s life, but a revelation occurred when she delved into her ancestry on Season 10 of PBS’ popular series “Finding Your Roots” with host Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Seeking insights into her father’s father, Nazzareno Bertinelli, who was born in Italy and lived with her family during her U.S. upbringing, Valerie made two startling discoveries during the candid conversation with Gates.
Firstly, she uncovered that her grandmother wasn’t Nazzareno Bertinelli’s first wife. It turned out that he had initially tied the knot with a woman named Domenica Cellerani in his native Italy, shortly after returning from the front lines of World War I. Reading Cellerani’s name, Valerie exclaimed, “Whoa, wait, that’s not my grandmother.”
However, this marriage was short-lived. In December 1922, just a week after their wedding, Nazzareno Bertinelli boarded a ship bound for the U.S. On his immigration paperwork, he identified himself as single and made no mention of his union with Domenica Cellerani.
Valerie Bertinelli expressed her bewilderment, asking, “What the heck? What is he doing?” when presented with the unfolding details by Gates.
Gates clarified that during that era, it was customary for couples to live separately while one sought employment. However, the paperwork indicated that 24-year-old Nazzareno Bertinelli was seemingly starting a new life in a different country, planning to stay in the U.S. indefinitely.
The intrigue deepened when Valerie discovered that Cellerani gave birth to Nazzareno Bertinelli’s son, Ernesto Bertinelli, seven months after Nazzareno departed for Scranton, Pennsylvania. Reflecting on this, Valerie expressed a wish to have met her half-uncle, who passed away in 2004. Ernesto had attempted to connect with his American family through letters, though it seemed he never met his father or half-brother.
Valerie empathized with the emotional pain Ernesto might have felt, contemplating the abandonment issues a child experiences. She acknowledged the sadness and the false notion of being unlovable, expressing sadness for Ernesto’s struggles.
Eight years after Nazzareno Bertinelli moved to the U.S., he applied for a marriage license with Angelina Bertinelli, concealing his prior marriage. When asked if her grandmother was aware of Nazzareno’s first marriage, Valerie believed she was not.
Gates agreed, remarking that Nazzareno might not have been considered the most desirable bachelor in Scranton in 1930. Valerie, grappling with numerous unanswered questions, emphasized her effort to approach her ancestors with empathy rather than judgment.
Expressing her commitment to understanding Nazzareno’s complex life, Valerie remarked, “What I really am doing in earnest right now is to have no judgment because I don’t know what was going on with Nazzareno. I know that his life was incredibly difficult. I don’t know if Domenica brought him joy. I don’t know if Nazzareno brought Domenica joy. But they had a beautiful little boy Ernesto who seems to me wanted to reach out and spread some of his love. So that all can’t be bad.”