Article published in the November 20, 2023 edition of Lynn’s The Item: Nahant Veteran Reno Pisano
Senator Brendan Crighton, left, Jo-Mary Koopman, right, and Ray “Ray” Pisano, in the center.
Reno “Ray” Pisano of Nahant will be 101 in February. At the age of 19, while living in Lynn and with just a semester of university under his belt, he was drafted into WWII. More than 80 years later, Ray’s memory is still sharp, and he vividly recalls the days of his service during the war.
From the Kasserine Pass in North Africa to D-Day and America’s final act, Battle of the Bulge, Ray found himself in the middle of many of WWII’s greatest conflicts. He recalls his wartime experiences with a mix of fondness and heartache but, most of all, an eagerness to return home.
Upon discharge, Ray re-enrolled in the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, where he completed his studies and turned his passion for creation into a career. His sculptures ranged from abstract to realistic, and he used various materials from plaster, marble, granite, wood, and epoxy. His collection of original pieces is a roadmap of local history. Ray memorialized PT Barnum, Mary Baker Eddy, Frederick Douglass, and Bud Fowler in bronze.
Fast-forward to November 2023. Ray continues to live in the home where he raised his family and is determined to remain as independent as possible. Struggling with COPD and connected to oxygen, he can no longer make the trip to his beloved studio behind his house. However, with the help of All Care Hospice and his family, he is happy to be living in his own home surrounded by his life’s work.
“He is such an amazing man with an incredible life well-lived,” said Susan Bowden Duffy, All Care Hospice RN. “Ray is such a special soul, and I love the time I’m able to spend with him.”
Since 1911, All Care VNA & Hospice has helped provide care, comfort, and dignity to countless people in Nahant and surrounding greater Lynn communities. The skilled clinicians and caregivers of All Care Hospice ensure that pain management, therapies, and treatments all support a care plan centered on the patient’s goals. This care and support allow patients to recuperate and spend their final days wherever they call home, surrounded by their loved ones. Hospice care also provides emotional support and advice to help family members become confident caregivers. For patients like Ray and many others, hospice is not an indication of looming death but rather the ability to live your best life with a life-limiting illness while receiving valuable care and support.
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Click here for more information on All Care’s Hospice program.