Transcript for the Piece Audio version of StoryCorps: Joseph and Greg Natale

GN: Mom passed away when we were young— when I was 17. I don't remember talking a lot about it, even though it was profoundly impactful on us. What did you go through to still have three kids to finish raising alone.

JN: I spent a couple years overcompensating as a father, to the extent that I would open the refrigerator door and see two gallons of milk and have to run to the store because we were running short of milk, and buy three more gallons. And 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 years, and six or seven years after mom had died, I realized that I had to start doing something for myself as well as my kids. Mom and I had been speech and drama majors in our schooling, and I began to participate in local theater again.

GN: So get to the part where you meet Kelly.

JN: I was hired for a role in the play. It was called "Holy Ghosts", and I played a preacher from the South, who was one of the snake sects. You know, they handle snakes and stuff. And she played a young wife, who was running away from her husband and joined our sect. And that's where we met.

GN: You called me up. I think it was a Sunday. And you said, "I have to tell you something." So you said, "I'm seeing somebody." And you had seen a few ladies over a few years after mom had passed away. And then you say, "Well it's getting really serious." And I said, "Oh, that's great!" And then there was like a pause. And then you said, "She's young." And I thought, "Well, good for you dad. Way to go." And you said, "She's, you know, much younger than me. I said, "Well, how young is she?" Then there was another pause, and then there was, "She's younger than you are." And so I was flabbergasted and thrilled for you all in the same heartbeat. And I fell in love with her just like the whole family did.

JN: It was easy.

GN: Yeah.

JN: The amazing thing was that, no way was I longing to get married. But it just seemed so natural. By the time we got married, we were deeply in love.

GN: What does that mean to you to have that second love of your life?

JN: Well, you know, mom died in 1977 at 47 years old. She died the day before my birthday. So that's vivid, vivid experience. And you have to deal with that loss, and you still have to live life. And that's what I hoped you kids got out of it too.

GN: We did.

JN: Yeah. I think our lives, when they're not programmed, result in good things.