I was born on February 6, 1945, to Josephine and Dominick Quarantello in Brooklyn, New York, into a second-generation Italian American. I went to PS 202, East New York, Brooklyn, in grade school and East New York Vocational and Thomas Jefferson in high school. At the age of sixteen years, I'd left school to begin working, first as a butcher then as a carpet installer. In the year 1965, I was drafted at the age of twenty years, sent to Vietnam, and wounded three times, receiving three Purple Hearts. After Vietnam, I married, had three children, and became an entrepreneur in the carpet business. Years later, I retired to Florida then relocated to Costa Rica. I relocated to Costa Rica with my wife to begin a new journey-writing my autobiography, rescuing animals, and performing music with local Latin and reggae bands, in which I was a vocalist and played saxophone and flute. I am currently living in Florida, performing music, completing my autobiography, working on a sequel, and living the best life I possibly can with no regrets and no apologies.
