Daughter’s book honors late longtime Croton resident

The Gazette, October 10, 2018

The launch of a new book featuring the words and spirited advice of the late Theresa Marafito Fiorentino—“I Know My Way Memoir”—will be hosted by family and friends Sat, November 3 from 1:00 to 4 p.m. at Holy Name of Mary Parish Center, Grand Street Croton-on-Hudson.

Mrs. Marafito, who was blind, was the longtime operator of Terry’s Newsstand at the Croton-Harmon train station up until March 18, 2008, when she accidently fell from a station platform into the path of a Amtrak train that was passing through at speed. She was 75 years of age.
She had been active in an array of local groups and organizations over a period of some 50 years, including the Croton Lions, Croton-Harmon schools PTA,Croton Community Nursery School and Holy Name of Mary Church, where she was a parishioner. A bench in front of the church’s Parish Center is dedicated in her honor.

The book was written by her eldest of two daughters, Linda Odubayo Thompson of Ossining, who says that her mother—born blind in one eye and with usable
vision in the other—maintained a focus “to be considered ‘normal,’ no different from anyone else.”

“She had a lifelong fear of becoming totally blind and after every operation, and there were many, her fear became more pronounced,” according to Ms. Odubayo Thompson.

“Still, she had a message to deliver in her memoir to those who are partially-sighted or totally blind. Theresa shows by example that with a little humor and a lot of ‘guts’ nothing in life is impossible.

Taking her message one step further, Theresa wanted to show those who are living with visually-impaired family members that a normal daily life is indeed possible with some minor adaptations.”

Mrs. Marafito graduated magna cum laude from Adelphi College, now a university, with two master’s degrees, in History and Special Education. She would teach visually handicapped children prior to her marriage to her soul mate, Jerry Marafito, who was also partially sighted. “They would build a house of love together (on Wayne Street, now the headquarters for Croton EMS), raise two children, and start a business serving the public at the Croton Harmon train station that would endure over five decades,” says the daughter.

“In several chapters in this memoir, Theresa explains to you, her reader, all the adaptations she had to make with the continuing loss of her sight.,”
said Ms. Odubayo Thompson, who also is visually impaired. “She offers tips and strategies to help visually impaired lead a normal life.”