SSSeth SpearsFounder & Chief Visionary Officer, Wellnesse · 👨‍👧‍👦 Father 🏔 Founder ⚓ Outdoorsman 📍 World Traveler 🇮🇹 Sicilian American

120 Years After My Family Left Sicily, I Brought My Mom Back #sicily #sicilytravel

1 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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In this personal travel vlog, the creator recounts a poignant journey back to Termini Imerese, Sicily, the town his ancestors left over a century ago. Accompanied by his mother and guided by cousin Giovanni—whose branch of the family never emigrated—they locate the house where the creator’s great‑great‑grandfather Fabiano Cianciolo raised his family, walk the streets where he worked as a fisherman, and visit the Church of San Bartolomeo, a historic place of worship for the Cianciolo and Dattilo families before their migration to America in the early 1900s. The narrative weaves together concrete details of locations, family lineage, and cultural heritage with reflective commentary on how physical places can feel like home even on a first visit, illustrating the enduring emotional connection across generations.

Chapters

For most of my life, being Italian was part of my identity. But it wasn't until I stood in the town my family immigrated from that it became something more. 120 years after our family left Sicily, I brought my mom back to our ancestral hometown of Termini Imerese, where our family's story began. With the help of our cousin Giovanni, whose branch of the family never left, we found the building where my great-great-grandfather Fabiano Cianciolo raised his family, walked the streets where he worked as a fisherman, and Visited the Church of San Bartolomeo, where generations of Chianciolos and Dattilos worshipped before immigrating to America in the early 1900s. More than a century later, the connection was still there. Some places feel like home, even when you're visiting for the very first time.