Adolph Maestranzi was born with Down syndrome in 1951, at a time many parents were told it might be best to institutionalize a child with the condition and move on with their lives. Instead, his parents Ben and Madelyn Maestranzi raised him in a home filled with music, good food and love from his four siblings.
“My brother went on to live a rich, full life,” his sister Loretta Maestranzi said. After his father taught him to play bocce ball — and his brother Bart coached him — Mr. Maestranzi won a silver medal in the Illinois state Special Olympics.
