Pierette
then . . . and now
. .
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."
©2006 Pierette Simpson, All Rights Reserved. | website: www.mcnpublishing.com
pierette@pierettesimpson.com
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