AO9 ALONG THE WAY … THE STORIES I LEAVE WITH YOU By Wilhelm Eisenbichler

Faced with a terminal diagnosis, Willy (as he was always known by family and friends) sat down to write what he wanted his young grandchildren to know and remember about him. From his birth in Austria to his childhood in Italy, from his adolescence in Hamilton (Ontario) to his university years at McMaster and at the University of Western Ontario, from his first full-time position in Weyburn (Saskatchewan) to his career in Sault Ste Marie (Ontario), and then his retirement in London (Ontario), he tells a story of family and friendships, challenges and
accomplishments, amusing incidents and silly moments. Along the way he poses the riddle of the three babies, describes his parents’ “time of terror” in their hometown of Lussinpiccolo/Mali Lošinj, the excitement of emigrating to Canada by ship, the advantages of having a foreign accent, and more. The result is a collection of stories focused on the moment, a series of snapshots that capture the instant and preserve it, all told with natural
spontaneity and unassuming charm.

But moments do not exist in isolation––like tesserae in a mosaic, they are part of a bigger story. And so, Willy’s stories speak to us about identity and character, individuality and adaptation, growing up an immigrant and integrating into a new country, reaffirming roots and growing new branches.