“I spent a couple of years overcompensating as a father.”

Joseph Natale (L) tells his son Greg (R) about raising three children after the death of his wife.

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Recorded in Buffalo, NY

Credits

Produced by Katie Simon.

Facilitated by Chaela Herridge-Meyer.

Transcript

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Interview transcript

Joseph Natale: I spent a couple of years overcompensating as a father. You know I'd open the refrigerator door and see two gallons of milk, and I'd have to run to the store because we were running short of milk. And buy three more gallons. It was that kind of thing. I was so afraid of not being a good parent and filling in for the missing mother. I did that for a couple of years. I realized that I needed to start doing something for myself as well as my kids. And I began to participate in local theater.