S O C V st ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ E 101 ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald anniversa ry N www.thenationalherald.com A wEEkly GrEEk-AmEriCAN PuBliCATiON 1915-2016 VOL. 20, ISSUE 1003 December 31 , 2016 - January 6, 2017 c v $1.50 TNH’s Person of the Year Wham! Gone Too Soon, George Michael was 53 Andreas C. Dracopoulos Greek Cypriot/British pop star topped hoosing the man or woman of the year is not always as charts, helped needy easy as it might seem. Different people distinguish them - Cselves over the course of a year in ways that exceed every - one else in particular fields or endeavors, and not necessary TNH Staff always in what most people usually associate with high achieve - ment in life. For instance, a terrorist who kills the most people, He was known to millions of or even a hedge fund manager who amasses the most billions of fans by his stage name, but dollars might have been the “best” in that category in a given George Michael was really Geor - twelve-month span, but do such persons deserve the high honor gios Kyriacos Panayiotou, born of being Person of the Year? to a Greek-Cypriot father living And, of course, even among those candidates who are worthy in London and an English of the honor, the decision of selecting one of them above the rest mother. is sometimes difficult. Michael, who died on Christ - But not this time: this year, we find our choice for Person of mas at age 53, said to be from the Year to be rather easy. heart failure, had a superstar ca - In the American landscape, the person who will most be iden - reer as a singer who tran - tified with 2016 is, of course, Donald Trump – a businessman scended pop and was admired who never ran or held any public office until he entered the 2016 by more serious artists who per - presidential race, and yet despite his unconventional ways went formed with him, including leg - on to win in the face of nearly all predictions to the contrary. And ends Aretha Franklin and Elton on top of all that, he is already giving every indication that his John, and was lauded by critics presidency will be nothing short of interesting, if not downright as soaring past the success of revolutionary. his Wham! 1980s band hits to We are Americans first, yes, but we are also Greek-Americans. become an accomplished musi - cian, producer, and arranger, Continued on page 5 displaying an array of talents. Success didn’t come overnight, but Michael’s abilities took him to the top of the music world faster than many others Dracopoulos on SNF who paid dues for years and toiled at their craft, and his 1980s album Faith sold 15 mil - lion copies. Cultural Center, Future AllMusic journalist Steve Huey described it as a “superbly crafted mainstream pop/rock By Theodore Kalmoukos philanthropy in such a signifi - masterpiece” while a review by cant way, we wouldn’t (and nei - Rolling Stone magazine, jour - On February 23, the Stavros ther would the SNFCC itself) be nalist Mark Coleman said the al - Niarchos Foundation (SNF) will here today if it wasn’t for him. bum “displays Michael’s intu - hand to the Greek state the €600 I also want to thank all of my itive understanding of pop million (about $624 million)- colleagues throughout the last music and his increasingly in - valued SNF Cultural Center (and first for the SNF) 20 years telligent use of his power to (SNFCC), in Athens. for their hard work and commit - communicate to an ever-grow - Some have called SNFCC the ment, but most of all for their ing audience.” most important project to take sharing of our vision, to make Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou place in the Greek capital since our world a better place for all. was born June 25, 1963 in East the Parthenon itself, noting that I would like to thank everyone Finchley, London. the SNFCC was built during one who contributed to the creation His mother, Lesley Harrison of the worst economic crises of the SNFCC, all those that col - Angold, was a dancer and his Greece has ever endured. laborated with us to bring to re - TNH/COSTAS BEJ maternal grandmother was Jew - The heart and soul – and ality this beautiful project. Indi - The National Herald and Friends Give Back ish. His Greek and Cypriot roots brains – behind this project was viduals and organizations from came from his father, Kyriacos SNF co-President and Director many different countries and Manolis Hajiantoniou is battling pancreatic cancer, his daughter Mary, brain cancer. TNH and Panayiotou, a Greek Cypriot Andreas Dracopoulos. He gave backgrounds, but all sharing the many generous benefactors donated funds to help this family in need. Left to right, Mary, mom a detailed interview to The Na - common mission, with no other Christina, Manolis Hajiantoniou, and journalist Dimitris Tsakas presenting the check. Continued on page 10 tional Herald about what tran - agendas other than that of doing spired behind the scenes, as well the best possible toward deliv - as his thoughts and plans for the ering the best possible project; future, the text of which follows. a common mission, strong and TNH: SNFCC is recognized effective collaborations, and Tragic Story of a Greek Mom and Son Mitsotakis’ almost universally as one of the hard work indeed, can create most important projects ever to small miracles and SNFCC is be built in the Greek Capital. such a miracle. TNH Staff ing details of how Wallace Wallace continued to re - New Year’s Now that is completed and in Last but not least, I want to started out in the world. Born search his story, finding a re - about two months will be thank Renzo Piano, an amazing NEW YORK – Marcus Wallace in Ballas’ dorm room on Jan. 19, porter who had worked for The handed over to the Greek state, architect, but more importantly has never met his birth mother. 1985, Wallace was then placed Record of Hackensack and cov - Message to please share your thoughts a beautiful person in everything At age 31, the Brooklyn resident in a garbage bag. Ballas knotted ered the remarkable survival of about that. he believes in, a true friend, per - did, however meet the men who the top and threw out her new - the baby thrown in the trash. AD: All of us at the at SNF sonally and of our country, saved his life on a cold January born son in a dumpster behind After three decades, the Post Hellenes and SNFCC feel very proud and Greece. morning. TAs a newborn, he a gas station on a freezing night arranged a reunion for Wallace happy. We feel that with the TNH: Can you recount for was pulled from a dumpster be - with temperatures in the 20-de - and his three rescuers. They met completion of SNFCC and its de - our readers the process, and hind a gas station where his gree range. on a cold December day by a lot Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President livery to its true owners, the mainly the moment you made Greek-American mother had Upon finding out, Wallace next to the FDU dorms where of the New Democracy Party, re - Greek people, we have con - the big decision to undergo this dumped him shortly after giving said, as reported in the New the dumpster once stood. leased his New Year’s wishes for tributed in many ways to our project? birth. While growing up in York Post, “I broke down. I got “You’re my hero,” Wallace Hellenes around the world. The home country during socioeco - AD: There was no single mo - Trinidad, he had called his aunt on the subway and cried all the told Michael Randelman, a mu - leader of the opposition party en - nomic crisis – which is very dif - ment when we decided to go “mom” and only saw his birth way from 42nd Street to Flat - sician and painting contractor courages all the Greeks of the Di - ficult for all – that Greece is go - ahead with the SNFCC. It was certificate at age 20. The bush Avenue. I had a lot of who now lives in Florida, the aspora to contribute to Greece’s ing through. more of a combination of many woman listed as mother was whys. What was wrong with Post reported. recovery with words of hope for First of all, I want to thank thoughts, discussions, etc., with Dorothea Ballas, then a 21-year- me? Why me?” In 1985, Randelman, then 2017. the late founder of our Founda - various parties, both from the old student at Fairleigh Dickin - He said, “My mother threw 25, was driving home from a tion, my great uncle Stavros private and public sectors, which son University (FDU) in Tea - me in a dumpster. It took me a girlfriend’s house at about 3 AM Greeks of the Diaspora, Niarchos, who made it possible neck, NJ. A newspaper story very long time to deal with that, On the occasion of the new for us to engage in the field of Continued on page 5 from 1985 revealed the shock - but I’ve gotten past it.” Continued on page 6 year, I extend my best wishes for health, happiness, love and prosperity, along with the assur - ance that I will personally fight for 2017 to be the year that true Chef Maria Georgiades Talks to TNH about the Fur Heist hope will rise for the rebirth of Greece.