The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
FAREWELL TO AN ICON
Hank Cisco remembered for his love of bringing people together
NORRISTOWN >> It was a farewell fit for Norristown’s one true Ambassador.
Hundreds braved the frigid temperatures on Friday to climb the steps into Holy Saviour Church and pay their final respects to Frank “Hank Cisco” Ciaccio, who passed away on Tuesday at age 96.
No matter who you asked, they had an endless array of good things to say about the man whose greatest legacies always seemed to reflect his longstanding love for people and the town he called home for so many years.
Cpl. James Angelucci had known Cisco for the entire 24 years he’s been with the Norristown Police Department.
“He was an icon for the borough. As the Ambassador for Norristown he was always helping out with the kids, with Norristown High. For every story that somebody has in here, there’s a thousand stories they’ve never heard,” Angelucci said. “He was just a great man.”
Former editor at The Times Herald Stan Huskey recalled Cisco’s passion for bringing people together for a purpose.
“Hank was a friend and a mentor, but above all else he loved to connect people. He was the original Facebook. And when Hank connected you with someone he didn’t just do it so you could be friends, he wanted you and that other person to achieve something, to make something happen,” he said.
“He was always interested in making something happen. He tried to connect you with people he thought you could team up with and make a difference somewhere.”
Steve and Patrizia Carcarey, owners of Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana, shared many memories of Cisco, including appearing on his TV show and hosting huge celebrations of St. Joseph’s Day at their restaurant in Lower Providence.
“From the first day that I recall meeting Hank he was always so kind and had a story that would connect to anything and everything possible about Norristown,” Patrizia Carcarey said. “I have memories of growing up in Norristown. He was the Ambassador of Norristown and he always will be the Ambassador. He was always so welcoming. He had an amazing life and had such wonderful stories. We were just so blessed to have known him and for him to be part of our lives.”
The couple plans to continue the St. Joseph’s Day celebrations in memory of Cisco, she added.
“I’m so glad we have the story of St. Joseph in his voice on video. We honestly have a treasure and every year we will continue that tradition and play that video.”
Steve Carcarey said Cisco’s importance to the community was reflected in the massive crowd that came to pay their respects on Friday.
“You see what Rock meant to so many people by the turnout today, people who know what a loving and gentle man he was. The Borough of Norristown should be embarrassed for how they did him wrong and took the title of Norristown Ambassador away from him. That title meant the world to that guy and somebody needs to say it, how the Borough should be embarrassed by what they did,” Steve said. “When you think of Norristown it’s two things, (Norristown native) Tommy Lasorda and Hank Cisco. Nobody sold and communicated Norristown more than Hank Cisco or cared about Norristown like Hank.”
Former reporter for The Times Herald Carl Rotenberg recalled Cisco as a generous man.
“I knew Hank for 20 years He came to the newsroom and brought us bread and cakes and cookies and everything else we would all eat and he nourished us. For news people that don’t have a lot of money, that was really nice. It was something he did for us and he also did it for other people,” Rotenberg remembered.
Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17, who was in Houston and couldn’t attend the viewing, communicated his personal reminiscences about Cisco.
“I met Hank when I first ran for the Senate in 2008,” he said. “I was struck by how kind and generous he was to me, a newcomer to Norristown. I was also in awe of his unvarnished enthusiasm for his home town. It was if he was personally willing Norristown to succeed. His attitude was infectious and made me want to do my best for the town Hank loved so much. I appeared on his show numerous times and saw him at countless events. We worked on a number of projects together and I always envied his energy. If finding something you are passionate about is the key to a happy life, then Hank’s life was truly a life well- lived.”
Longtime friend Mary Ellen DiGregorio remembered Cisco as an icon who shared unconditionally of himself with everyone he met.
“He lived to breathe Norristown every moment of his life. His pride was perfect, compared to my passion and it spoke volumes watching him demonstrate it over the years. Hank came home March 2019 from a stay in the hospital to say his good byes face to face with his family and friends,” she recalled. “His spirit was strong and wise that lifted anyone that came to visit him. There were never words of what
Hank Cisco
I should have done or what I could have done, coming out of him as he greeted friends and family with a huge smile and the Rocky thumbs up, that came to visit him. Pure love and words of encouragement were flowing non-stop, pure joy and happiness in his presence. The book ‘Tuesday With Morrie’ is a child’s book in comparison to the last 10 months with Hank. I will always cherish the friendship, I will always feel honor and privilege in knowing him and I will know that even till the end of my time on earth his teaching to fight for what you believe in and always be kind to your fellow man no matter what hate they throw at you. May the angel be preparing Hank for his seat at the right hand of Our Lord and know that Hank left a legacy that will live on for generations to come.”
Before he had met Cisco, Daniel Wissert remembered being intrigued whenever someone mentioned Cisco’s name.
“When I was growing up, when attending Norristown schools, I heard talk or mention about somebody named Cisco on some kind of show. So over the years, at times my late father (Vietnam Veteran Fred Wissert), would talk about ‘Cisco kid’ or a show called ‘the Cisco kid’, So I always wondered who or what he was talking about. I always thought maybe he was referring to a TV show, but then fast forward to the early or mid 2000’s, I once again heard mention about Cisco,” Wissert said. “After a few years go by, I started really getting interested in wanting to bring the Mayor seat back in Norristown, since finding out it was abolished in 20042005. With mentions on social media, I then started searching for answers on how to somehow bring back the seat. My friend Mary Ellen DiGregorio, who I met through my mother Anna Harrington ... reached out to me and told me to contact Hank Cisco, because he wants me to be a guest on his show. So I was excited and contacted Hank
Cisco, and he said ‘I want you to come on my show to talk about your interest in bringing back the Mayor seat’, and also what the benefits would be, and how he was proud of me for speaking out about how the Fourth of July parade was going to be canceled, and there would be no Ambassador. I then noticed a very inspiring ‘Make Norristown great again’ sign on Hank’s; table. I then told Hank that I made some noise, and the next thing you know, the parade was back on, with every vote, and Hank mentioned how Judge Lawrence swore him in once again to be Norristown’s Ambassador once again, and then awarded me with a little set of boxing gloves keychain, and a Hank Cisco Show plaque for being a great guest on the show.
“So now, all these years, after finally meeting and knowing “bobbin’ and weavin’ ‘ Norristown’s Ambassador Hank Cisco, as well as learning about his awesome law enforcement experience, I was really inspired, and wanting to continue my mission in not just bringing back the Mayor seat, but also helping to keep the spirit of Hank Cisco and other Norristonians’ spirit alive.”
— Patrizia Carcarey