A great man from our childhood has passed on. You may or may not find his story incredible or uplifting, but his little butcher shop on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven was a centerpiece of our lives growing up. I still can feel the sawdust on the tile floor of his shop, and the enormous hanging salamis and blocks of cheese scattered throughout the deli. He was a godsend to my mom and our family, helping us stock up on meat for a huge family.

May he rest in peace.