ALIVE on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in Histor

 BIOGRAPHY        PHOTO ALBUM

    Pierette then . . .                               and now . . pierette as a little girl photopierettes photo






















ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In 1956, Piera Domenica Burzio and her grandparents left their village of Pranzalito, near Torino, Italy, to begin a new life in America. They made their journey on the last voyage of the Andrea Doria. The family settled in Detroit, where Pierette attended Wayne State University. Later she did graduate work in France.

Pierette pursued her love of foreign languages by teaching high school French and Spanish in the Farmington Public Schools, near Detroit. In the course of her twenty-seven-year teaching career, she was recognized as Michigan Foreign Language Teacher of the Year (1994-95) by the Michigan Foreign Language Association. Upon her retirement, she was inducted into the Farmington Teachers' Hall of Fame.

For many years, Pierette played the violin and performed with several local symphony orchestras and chamber groups. She also has traveled extensively to foreign lands, with an annual trek to Italy, where half of her family resides.

Pierette is the first Andrea Doria survivor to publish a book about the historic collision, sea rescue and sinking of this event. Additionally, she speaks about her book to national and international audiences.

Currently, she is involved in several projects within the maritime world:

  ::  writing and presenting technical reports on the Andrea Doria shipwreck
  ::  writing articles on maritime safety
  ::  collaborating with marine scientists and divers in the field of  shipwreck
       exploration and marine archeology
  ::  collaborating with maritime museums to create exhibits based on shipwreck
       artifacts

The author/survivor plans to continue the Andrea Doria legacy by being  the gatekeeper of Andrea Doria survivor stories for historical documentation. 

Pierette also works on projects which create awareness and pride of her
Italian roots:

  ::  locating people of Piemontese (northern Italian) roots in the U.S.
  ::  working with cultural associations, consulates, museums, and the media 

Presently, Pierette is an author in a spiritual book series called THANK GOD I...STORIES OF INSPIRATION FOR EVERY SITUATION.
Her story, "Thank God I Had A Catastrophe: Surviving the Andrea Doria Shipwreck", expresses the blessings that have resulted from the ocean tragedy. The story is also published in a multi-media format. See www.thankgodi.com.
 
On September 16, 2008, Pierette will receive the most prestigious award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences of Wayne State University. It recognizes alumni who have made contributions in their field within the community. Her research, publishing, and talks about Alive on the Andrea Doria and L’Ultima Notte dell’Andrea Doria, as well as contributions to the Italian community were the main factors considered.

The author has been featured on American and Italian documentaries and newsmagazine programs inspired by her books. She is interviewed frequently on radio, cable, podcasts, and for periodicals. Currently, she publishes articles in various American and Italian journals.

Pierette reflects, "The projects I'm involved in really challenge me, but I follow my inner voice: wanting to share my life energy with the world, sending out a ripple
of knowledge to those who care to listen. Somehow, I’m still an educator. I find
the act of self-giving to be a personal power-releasing factor."

 



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