When 93-year-old Josie Annello died at home, her son put a obituary in the local paper, alongside a happy, smiling photo of his mother.
Describing her as supportive and compassionate,Tampa Tribune readers thought it seemed like a loving public tribute, until they reached the third line, which read:
‘She is survived by her Son, ‘A.J.’, who loved and cared for her; Daughter ‘Ninfa’, who betrayed her trust, and Son ‘Peter’, who broke her heart.’
The death notice, published on February 14, publicly revealed an ugly spat between Angelo ‘A.J.’ Anello, who wrote and placed the obituary, and his brother and sister.
Copies of the obituary have spread across the internet, dividing opinion between those who think Mr Anello was disrespectful and others who think he was ‘just telling the truth.’
The Tampa Bay Times have revealed the family quarrel was over money with Angelo Anello, 63, and his sister, Ninfa Simpson, 65, both accusing each other of stealing from their elderly mother.
Mr Anello says Simpson and her husband used their mother’s Social Security checks to go on vacations.
But Mrs Simpson says Mr Anello dipped into their mothers, as well as using her credit cards.
‘My brother is not telling the truth. He’s having his moment of revenge,’ said Mrs Simpson to The Tampa Bay Times.
But Mr Angelo alleged ‘They are so riddled with guilt, what they are doing is pointing fingers at me.’
The both agreed that the eldest brother Peter Anello, has not spoke to the family for 25 years.
Mrs Anello, who died on Februay 11, was a Tampa native who worked in a cigar factory.
Mrs Simpson said her relationship her brother Angelo Anello was fine until 2007 when their father, Vito Anello, died.
She said that was when Angelo Anello became controlling and only let family members talk to their mother through him, an allegation he strongly denies.
Mr Anello said he was with his mother when she died at home from kidney failure.
He said he wrote the obituary in the Tampa Tribune ‘not to get even with anyone, or to be vindictive or spiteful. The obituary reflected what she had said right up to the end.’
He admitted that his mother did not say that her son broke her heart and her daughter betrayed her trust but he ‘had a passion for the truth.’
Another thing the siblings can’t agree on is her age.
The obituary placed by Angelo Anello lists his mother’s age as 94, but all other records, including the notice that Simpson placed the next day, list her age as 93.
After reading the obituary online, one user wrote:
What is he playing at? His mother must be turning in her grave – he is really not respecting her memory!’
But another user wrote: ‘Fair play – he is just telling the truth and now their mother is gone, there is no need to carry on pretending to get on so they may as well be honest and open.’
