Piece image

StoryCorps: Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss

Series: StoryCorps
From: StoryCorps
Length: 00:02:19

Embed_button
Ralph Tremonte [Tra-MONT-ee] (right) and Donald Weiss (left), who grew up together in a psychiatric hospital, reunite after 40 years. Read the full description.
Playing
StoryCorps: Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss
From
StoryCorps

Tremonteweiss_small

Ralph Tremonte [Tra-MONT-ee] and Donald Weiss grew up together in a New York State psychiatric Institution. They were committed as children and last saw each other as teenagers. Recently, at the Story Corps Booth in New York's Grand Central Terminal, Tremonte and Weiss spoke to each other for the first time in 40 years. At the booth, they remembered what life was like in the institution, how the experience affected them, and caught up on the 4 decades since their release. Here's an excerpt from their conversation. --- Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss, former psychiatric patients, reunited after 40 years. Tremonte lives independently and Weiss in assisted living in New York City. Jim Rye, a mental health advocate in New York City, accompanied Tremonte and Weiss to the booth. After the interview, he wrote a letter to StoryCorps (full letter included as attatchment, excerpt of Rye reading his letter also included as mp2).

StoryCorps: Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss | 00:02:19

Privacy

Also in the StoryCorps series

Caption: Harrison Wright (R) with his grandson, Sean Guess (L)

StoryCorps: Harrison Wright and Sean Guess (00:01:56)
From: StoryCorps

Harrison Wright tells his grandson, Sean Guess, about serving in the Army at the end of World War II.
Piece image

StoryCorps: Van and Shirley Harris (00:02:17)
From: StoryCorps

Van Harris and his wife, Shirley, remember being young in Brooklyn during the 1940s.
Caption: Theresa McLaughlin with her son, Dennis.

StoryCorps: Theresa and Dennis McLaughlin (00:02:16)
From: StoryCorps

Theresa McLaughlin speaks about raising her son, Dennis, who was born with spina bifida, leaving him unable to use his legs.
Caption: Ricardo Isaias Zavala (L) with his son Ricardo Javier Zavala (R)

StoryCorps: Ricardo Isaias Zavala and Ricardo Javier Zavala (00:02:32)
From: StoryCorps

Ricardo Isais Zavala remembers his grandfather, Vicente Domingo Villa, in an interview with his son, Ricardo Javier Zavala.
Caption: Kate Musick (L) with her former student Harleé Patrick (R)

StoryCorps NTI: Kate Musick and Harleé Patrick, Jose Catalan and Carlos Vizcarra (00:02:50)
From: StoryCorps

Two stories about teachers who went beyond the classroom to help their kids.
Caption: Marco Ferreira and his wife Wendy Tucker

StoryCorps: Marco Ferreira and Wendy Tucker (00:01:54)
From: StoryCorps

Marco Ferreira talks to his wife, Wendy Tucker, about surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2008.
Caption: Lisa Combest and James Hanson-Brown

StoryCorps: Lisa Combest and James Hanson-Brown (00:02:25)
From: StoryCorps

Lisa Combest and her ex-husband, James Hanson-Brown, talk about how their marriage ended.
Caption: Karen Slade

StoryCorps Griot: Karen Slade, Eric "Rico" Reed and Arthur "Sonny" Williams (00:02:28)
From: StoryCorps

Karen Slade, Eric "Rico" Reed, and Arthur "Sonny" Williams of radio station KJLH remember the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.
Caption: Kenneth and Gaye Honeycutt

StoryCorps: Kenneth and Gaye Honeycutt (00:02:03)
From: StoryCorps

Kenneth Honeycutt tells his wife Gaye about witnessing the New London School Explosion of 1937.
Caption: David Plant (L) with his stepson, Frank Lilley (R)

StoryCorps: David Plant and Frank Lilley (00:02:34)
From: StoryCorps

Frank Lilley interviews his stepfather, David Plant, about approaching the end of his life.

Piece Description

Ralph Tremonte [Tra-MONT-ee] and Donald Weiss grew up together in a New York State psychiatric Institution. They were committed as children and last saw each other as teenagers. Recently, at the Story Corps Booth in New York's Grand Central Terminal, Tremonte and Weiss spoke to each other for the first time in 40 years. At the booth, they remembered what life was like in the institution, how the experience affected them, and caught up on the 4 decades since their release. Here's an excerpt from their conversation. --- Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss, former psychiatric patients, reunited after 40 years. Tremonte lives independently and Weiss in assisted living in New York City. Jim Rye, a mental health advocate in New York City, accompanied Tremonte and Weiss to the booth. After the interview, he wrote a letter to StoryCorps (full letter included as attatchment, excerpt of Rye reading his letter also included as mp2).

Broadcast History

NPR's Morning Edition 10/21/05
This American Life 2/25/05
WNYC during Morning Edition 12/8/04

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Every Friday morning we hear another selection from StoryCorps. It's an oral history project and there is nothing else like in the country. Americans have been telling their stories for two years now. Family members or close friends ask questions of each other, that we might never think to ask.

Today we'll hear the conversation of two friends, reunited. Ralph Tremonte <> and Donald Weiss grew up together, and it wasn't by choice. As children they were committed to a New York State Psychiatric Institution. after their release they went forty years without seeing each other. Then they were reunited, at the StoryCorps booth in New York. Tremonte and Weiss remembered life in the institution, how that experience affected them. And they gave us a chance to listen, as they caught up on the four decades since their release.

"I'm seeing you...100% percent!"

Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss are former psychiatric patients who were reunited after forty years. Weiss is now in assisted living. Tremonte lives independently.

We're going to hear next from Jim Rye, a mental health professional who worked at the hospital where Tremonte and Weiss were once committed. Rye arranged for the two to meet at the StoryCorps booth. He's the reason they were reunited. And after the interview he wrote this letter.

OUTRO:

That's Jim Rye, reading a letter to StoryCorps. All the StoryCorps interviews are collected by the Library of Congress, and you can find out how to participate by going to NRP dot org.

Additional Files

Related Website

http://storycorps.net/listen

Sign up for PRX

Log in

Piece Statistics

Actions

Topics

Formats

Tones

Playlists

Of 4 purchasers of this piece...